Topline
The northern lights could be visible from some northern states on Tuesday night, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as possible geomagnetic storms caused by space weather could cause the aurora to be visible further south.
Forecasters are predicting possible geomagnetic storms, which could cause the aurora to appear further south.
Jeremy Hogan
Key Facts
NOAA is predicting a Kp index of five out of nine on Tuesday night, meaning the northern lights could appear brighter with more “motion and formations,” and visible further south from the magnetic north pole.
Forecasters are also expecting minor geomagnetic storms through Wednesday, due to both high speed solar winds and coronal mass ejection that left the Sun last weekend.
What Is Causing Geomagnetic Storms?
Two different space weather events are impacting the aurora this week, according to forecasters. First, the earth could see high speed solar winds from a coronal hole. These are regions of the sun that contain relatively cooler plasma and appear dark in color when astronomers take extreme ultraviolet or soft x-ray photographs of the sun. Fast solar winds, often called high speed streams, escape from these regions and can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth after they interact with regular solar winds. Forecasters also recorded coronal mass ejections from the sun on Friday and Saturday, which could reach the Earth on Tuesday. These are bursts of plasma from the sun’s corona, or outermost layer of atmosphere. This solar material from mass ejections can also cause geomagnetic storms when it reaches Earth. The storms expected on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning are only expected to be mild, but even mild storms can cause the aurora to appear visible further south.
Where Could the Northern Lights Be Visible?
The aurora has a “low” likelihood of visibility in several states along the U.S.-Canadian border, according to NOAA’s forecast map. These include parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Most of Alaska falls within the “high” likelihood region to see the aurora on Tuesday night. However, the sun sets very late in Alaska during the summer months, so the sky may not become dark enough to see the lights.
What’s the Best Way to View the Northern Lights?
Viewers need to travel north, towards the earth’s magnetic north pole, according to experts at NOAA. They should position themselves on a vantage point with a clear view of the night sky, and ideally away from cities or other sources of light. The aurora is most active in the hours just before and after midnight, according to NOAA, so viewers should plan to watch between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
What’s the Best Way to Photograph the Northern Lights?
Viewers can use their smartphone cameras to capture quality photos of the northern lights, an expert who spoke to National Geographic said. Smartphone users should remember to use the right settings and bring necessary equipment, including a tripod and a timer to keep their devices steady for longer periods of time. They should also remember to turn off flash, use their device’s night mode and shoot in RAW image format.
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