Northern Lights may be visible in NY, East Coast states Thursday

Forecasts of a solar storm have projected that 17 U.S. states, including New York and others along the East Coast, may be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights this Thursday.

The aurora borealis is typically seen in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, but places further to the south are now getting in on the action due to an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in 2024, according to scientists.

The East Coast states that could see activity Thursday include New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Maryland, according to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. Other states include Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center recommends that people wanting to spot the aurora should be away from city lights and try to look in the sky between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.

The phenomenon known as the Northern Lights is caused by the interaction between the Earth’s magnetic field and a magnetic solar wind. Th collision energizes atoms in the upper atmosphere, resulting in a glowing effect, which can vary in intensity.

Residents in Arizona were able to see the light display three months ago, in an event that marked the third severe geomagnetic storm since 2019.

With News Wire Services