Video: Brightest Northern Lights in years paint sky

>> breathtaking show in the sky in the northern hemisphere . the largest solar flares since 2005 have created the most spectacular northern lights in years. michelle kosinski is in tromso, norway , inside the arctic circle . michelle, good morning.

>> reporter: hey, carl. norway has had a mild winter, but a jaw-dropping aurora borealis . this is one of the best spots on the planet to see it. nasa predicted that this winter would be some of the most intense northern lights in half a century. it all depends on the activity of the sun which is on a 12-year cycle. right about now is the peak of it. our trusty sun might look the same, but the headlines it's been generating, geomagnetic storm to hit earth -- not so comforting. unlike our brand of storm, when a sun storm slams the atmosphere at 5 million miles an hour, just last month, we get this. the majestic aurora announcing itself through twinkling curtains over the upper and lower latitudes. some of the most awesome in the true and most popular sense displayed in decades. bright green, pinks, sweeps and stripes. glowing rings. some of the coolest images have come from space. the violence of a sun burst settling into a glowing crown atop our planet. to see it in person --

>> it's like a painting maybe that moves.

>> sometimes it makes me feel small. i mean, it's so great. it comes from the sun.

>> reporter: the sun has been throwing off more charged particles than usual which collide with earth's particles and shoot out photons or light. those are swept along earth's magnetic field and voila.

>> the sun is coming out of a period where it's been quiet. but it is entering a more active period. we can expect solar storms multiple times per day.

>> reporter: that makes for a lot of electricity up there. scientists just launched a research rocket into the gloers a -- glorious aurora over alaska to see how it may interfere with our gps.

>> turn left, then keep left .

>> reporter: if a messed up gps doesn't make you late, staring at the aurora will. a peek we may not get to ooh and aah over for another dozen years. if you want to see it in real life you may have to go somewhere inconvenience to americans. best places are iceland, greenland, norway , finland. you get the picture. but a lot of tourism is now geared toward seeing the lights. carl?

>> amazing pictures and we liked the music, too. michelle kosinski , thanks.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/46478860/

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