[muawiyah]

Fredericksburg VA is about as far South as Seymour, Indiana where I recall seeing the Northern Lights more than half a century ago.

A review of the records concerning solar flares would probably find out exactly what day that happened too!

[Nathan Zachary]

That’s probably the simplest way of observing solar flare activity. If you live close to the Canadian border as I do, you can see them late August- Sept, and when there is a lot of solar flare activity, they become much more intense and colorful. At this location, they are dull normally. a silvery wave as the particles pass through. It shows how the sun’s output fluctuates quite rapidly. The last 2 years the lights have been stronger overall, indicating the sun’s output is a bit stronger.

[JerseyJohn61]

Well, I’m 45 and have never seen an aurora here in Jersey.
You’re talking about a half century back. No small chunk of
years.(Human time that is. Geologically, 50 years is the
twinkling of an eye.)

How bright were the lights?...JJ61