Which US States Can See Aurora Borealis?

Another geomagnetic storm means another chance for some lucky Americans to see the Northern Lights this week, after the second-largest solar flare of the current cycle was spotted on Tuesday.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction, the colorful phenomenon known as the aurora borealis is expected to be visible in some areas Thursday evening through the weekend after two coronal mass ejections were observed on Tuesday, including the massive X7.1 solar flare center.

The center issued geomagnetic storm warnings of low, medium and strong intensity and predicted that northern lights will be visible in the sky.

Last week, the center predicted that the aurora would be visible throughout the northwestern United States and some Midwestern states, as greenish and reddish hues would be more common.

In May, a powerful geomagnetic storm sparked spectacular views of the northern lights in U.S. areas where northern lights are not often visible. The storm also led to some reports of irregularities in the power grid and disruption to GPS signals and farm equipment.

Where will the Northern Lights be visible?

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the aurora is expected to be visible in several northern U.S. states from October 3-5.

According to the center, sightings are predicted along the U.S.-Canada border, but also south from Oregon to Pennsylvania. The best time to view the Northern Lights is Friday, October 4th, from around midnight local time until the early hours of Saturday, October 5th.

The center said outside variables could affect the reliability of the forecast, including the precise trajectory of the solar flare, which could change during its 93 million-mile journey to Earth.

“There is considerable uncertainty associated with this prediction because initial space weather predictions are based on distant and limited solar observations,” the center said in a statement to USA TODAY on Wednesday. “Auroras can be unpredictable and wax and wane quickly. Visibility can range from bright and relatively high in the sky to dim and low on the northern horizon (perhaps only visible in long exposure photography) or even not visible at all.”

Why are the northern lights more common?

People around the world can expect more frequent and brighter northern lights to decorate the sky as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle, making electromagnetic activity more common.

According to NASA, the sun is expected to reach the peak of solar cycle 25 in 2025.

By then, sunspots in regions with intense magnetic activity are likely to increase, according to NOAA. When this magnetic activity is released, it produces intense bursts of radiation that result in solar flares – considered by NASA to be our solar system's largest explosion events.

Solar flares emit radiation, usually in the form of ultraviolet light and X-rays, which can travel toward Earth at the speed of light. Some of these eruptions may be accompanied by coronal mass ejections, or clouds of plasma and charged particles emanating from the Sun's outermost atmosphere, the corona.

These ejecta can collide with Earth's magnetosphere, the barrier that protects humanity from the harshest effects of space weather, and cause geomagnetic storms.

What causes the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are a natural light display in the Earth's sky that is known to be best seen in high latitude regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

The phenomenon occurs when electrically charged particles from space enter Earth's atmosphere and collide with molecules and gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, causing the atmospheric particles to gain energy. To return to their normal state, the particles release this energy in the form of light, according to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks website, which tracks the phenomenon.

As auroras form, the Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that creates a breathtaking display of rays, spirals and flickers that has fascinated humans for millennia. Whether greens, reds, blues and pinks dance in the sky depends on the altitude at which the collisions occur, as well as the composition and density of the atmosphere at that time.

What are the best places to see the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are best seen around the magnetic poles of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, such as Europe, Asia and North America. In the United States, Alaska is known for having the best Northern Lights viewing opportunities.

Even though conditions are ideal for further upcoming auroras, experts have long struggled to predict exactly when and where the phenomenon will ever occur. Even the best predictions can only be made accurately a few days or even hours in advance.

And if it looks like the Northern Lights are about to flare up near you, it's advisable to leave the cities and travel to dark places without light pollution. According to NOAA, the best auroras are usually visible within an hour or two after midnight in clear weather.

However, NOAA maintains an aurora dashboard designed to help sky watchers track the phenomenon.

When can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland?

The Northern Lights can appear in Iceland all year round, during the day and at night. However, according to Visit Island, it's best to watch the sky a few hours before midnight.

The best time of year to watch the Northern Lights is between September and April, the travel guide reported.

Can you see northern lights with the naked eye?

Northern lights can be safely observed without a telescope or microscope. The visibility of the aurora depends on several factors: location, weather, time of night and the level of geomagnetic activity present.

Anthony Robledo covers breaking and breaking news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

Which US States Can See Aurora Borealis?

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