The northern lights captivated viewers across a wide swath of the United States on Thursday, and they may provide another dazzling display on Friday night.
On Thursday, the aurora borealis was sighted as far south as Florida, illuminating the skies in vibrant reds and purples, even in brightly lit urban areas like New York City and Chicago. A strong geomagnetic storm was responsible for this stunning light show, although according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), its intensity has diminished. Nevertheless, select regions in the U.S. might experience the northern lights again tonight.
The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center indicates that the aurora will be visible primarily in northern U.S. territories, with Canada and Alaska offering the best views. If conditions allow, viewers in areas such as Idaho, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin could catch glimpses of the lights. On the East Coast, northern New York and parts of Vermont and New Hampshire may also be treated to this celestial phenomenon, with areas in Maine being potential viewing sites.
For optimal viewing, look northward during dark hours. If unaided visibility is limited, the lights may still be captured through a camera lens or other devices. According to NOAA, the northern lights are most prominent just after sunset or just before sunrise, as they are not visible during daylight. Clear skies with minimal artificial light enhance the experience.
The recent visibility of northern lights is attributed to heightened solar activity in recent months, characterized by numerous coronal mass ejections from the sun’s surface. Although the intense geomagnetic storm responsible for Thursday’s spectacle has begun to quiet down, experts indicate that there could be more chances to see the aurora in the future.
Shawn Dahl, a forecast coordinator at the Space Weather Prediction Center, explained that the sun is currently experiencing its 11-year solar cycle peak, referred to as solar maximum. During this phase, the sun exhibits intense magnetic fields and dynamic sunspot activity, contributing to enhanced space weather phenomena.
The northern lights occur due to interactions between solar winds emitted by the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in geomagnetic storms and increased activity. The greater this geomagnetic activity, the brighter and more widespread the aurora becomes. Even modest solar winds can create auroras, though the most spectacular displays are typically found closer to the poles; in the northern hemisphere, they are known as the northern lights, while in the southern hemisphere, they are called the southern lights.