While the majority of the aurora borealis will be confined to the far north, some northern parts of the U.S. could still see it.
WASHINGTON — A recent cluster of flare-ups on the sun’s surface is sending super-charged particles at the earth, meaning that skywatchers in North America could be treated to a display of the northern lights Thursday night.
The flare ups, called coronal mass ejections, happened between Oct. 11 and 13, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
Because it takes several days for the particles to travel through space, the particles released by the CMEs began reaching earth late Wednesday, on Oct. 15. NOAA expects the strongest geomagnetic storms to hit on Thursday night before receding Friday and disappearing by the weekend.
Where will the northern lights be visible tonight?
While the majority of the aurora borealis will be confined to the far north, some northern parts of the U.S. could still see it. Strong solar storms like this one are often seen as low as New York or Idaho.
NOAA predictions show that people in 15 states could see the auroras Thursday, although most are at the southern edge of the view line, indicating that they won’t see the most spectacular lights and may not wind up seeing anything.
Here are the states where the northern lights could possibly be visible Thursday night, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center forecast:
- Alaska
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- New York
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Wyoming
- Iowa
Alaska is right in the center of the expected path of the solar storm though, and will likely experience vivid light shows overnight.
Will the solar storms have any effect on the planet?
The disturbances on Thursday night could reach a G2 level on NOAA’s five-point space weather scale, indicating moderate impacts. Usually a G1 or G2 storm can cause some weak fluctuations in power grids near the impacted areas and minor impacts to satellites.
But the storm won’t have any significant effect on people living on earth, only giving those lucky enough to see it a celestial show.
What causes Aurora Borealis?
In layman’s terms: the sun is constantly shooting out charged particles. But sometimes, it emits a particularly violent stream of energy known as solar wind, during solar flares or “coronal mass ejections.”
When these energetic solar winds hit the earth’s atmosphere, they collide with the gasses in the upper atmosphere and charge them. As that energy dissipates, it lets out light that we can see.
The different gasses produce different colors, which is why an aurora borealis can shift from green and blue to red and purple.
How to see auroras
Northern lights forecasts can be found on NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center website or an aurora forecasting app.
Consider aurora-watching in a quiet, dark area away from city lights. NASA’s Kelly Korreck recommended skygazing from a local or national park. And check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely.
Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.