Photos: New Yorkers saw the Northern Lights from the Upper West Side last night

New Yorkers are willing to climb onto any rooftop for a good view, but last night didn’t require much effort—just a glance upward. 

Thanks to an ongoing geomagnetic storm, the Aurora Borealis made a repeat appearance over the city, lighting up the sky with streaks of purple, green and red that were mostly seen on the Upper West Side. It was the second night in a row that the lights showed up, creating a scene that you usually only see in Icelandic postcards.

NASA confirmed a major solar flare earlier this week, which was ultimately strong enough to push the visibility as far south as Northern California and Alabama. When that charged solar energy reached the Earth’s magnetic field, it briefly turned New York into its own cosmic lightbox.

Missed the show? While forecasters say the city likely won’t get a third act, we've got some super cool shots to share with you to assuage the FOMS: