Rare celestial event: Northern lights and Perseid meteor shower illuminate Western Pennsylvania skies

NEW DELHI: Both the northern lights and the Perseids meteor shower were visible simultaneously in a rare occurrence in the skies over Western Pennsylvania on Monday morning, said National Weather Service Pitssburgh in a post on X.

The northern lights were observed in several areas, including Washington County, early Monday morning.
In the viral images, the colorful skies are visible from Woodburn Road in Claysville.
Photos shared by NWS Pittsburgh show the auroras and the Perseids meteor shower appearing together in the sky over Butler, PA.
Northern lights, an optical phenomenon
The Northern lights are an optical phenomenon, created by the interaction between solar winds and magnetic fields in the upper atmosphere.
What is Perseid meteor shower?
The Perseid meteor shower occurs each year when Earth crosses through the debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. This debris, composed of ice and rock, produces the meteor shower, which reaches its peak as Earth passes through the densest portion between August 11 and 12.