Additional Coverage:
- Maps show best areas in U.S. to see northern lights Friday night (newsbreak.com)
Northern Lights Spectacular Visible in the US
On Thursday, a stunning display of the aurora borealis illuminated the skies across much of the US, including areas as far south as Florida. Photos captured the vibrant red and purple hues against the night sky, even in metropolitan areas like New York City and Chicago.
While the geomagnetic storm that caused this display has subsided, some parts of the country may still witness the northern lights tonight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts visibility in northern parts of Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The aurora is most visible around sunset or sunrise, in dark and clear skies. To enhance your chances of viewing, use a phone camera or other device to capture the faintest lights.
Recent Northern Lights Activity
The recent surge in northern lights visibility is attributed to the sun’s high activity, releasing coronal mass ejections that interact with Earth’s magnetic field. This results in geomagnetic storms that trigger the aurora.
Shawn Dahl, a forecast coordinator with the Space Weather Prediction Center, explains that the sun is currently in its solar maximum, a period of heightened magnetic activity. This increased activity leads to more intense sunspot groups, which are the source of the space weather storms that produce the aurora.
Causes of the Northern Lights
The aurora occurs when the sun’s solar winds interact with Earth’s magnetic field. This activity generates geomagnetic storms and heightened geomagnetic activity.
As geomagnetic activity increases, the aurora becomes brighter, more active, and visible further from the planet’s poles. Even moderate solar wind can create a faint aurora, typically visible near the poles.
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- Maps show best areas in U.S. to see northern lights Friday night (newsbreak.com)