STUNNING northern lights could be visible across a large swath of North America tonight.
Space scientists have revealed how the dazzling aurora could stretch from Canada to the United States.
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Scientists say the G2 “geomagnetic storm” was considered “likely” to occur on August 13.
These are moderate storms, following more significant storms on Sunday and Monday.
“The aurora may become visible in some northern and upper Midwestern states, from New York to Idaho,” explained the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
On the other hand, on Monday we saw a G4 geomagnetic storm – causing more aurora to the south than normal.
Read more about Northern Lights
“A strong geomagnetic storm includes the potential for the aurora to be seen faintly in extreme southern Alabama and northern California,” NOAA said at the time.
WHAT CAUSES Aurora Borealis?
The aurora borealis, or Aurora Borealis, is a light show in the sky.
It is caused by the collision of electrons with the upper parts of the Earth’s atmosphere.
This process is caused by the Sun, but you will only be able to see the auroras when it gets dark.
The Sun is constantly spewing energy at Earth, but sometimes solar storms can create significant ejections.
And with a large “coronal mass ejection,” a huge mass of high-speed, magnetic-field plasma is hurled toward Earth.
These particles move toward Earth and travel along magnetic field lines, interacting with our atmosphere.
And as the particles interact with gases in our atmosphere, they generate impressive lights in the sky.
When they interact with oxygen, you will see green and red, while nitrogen produces blues and purples.
TIPS FOR SEEING THE DAWN
NOAA shared its top tips for stargazers who want to see the Northern Lights.
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First, be sure to check the latest space weather – the forecast can change on short notice.
If you have the option, make sure to go as far north as possible. The closer you get to the magnetic north pole, the greater your chances of seeing the aurora.
And remember, you’ll also want to look north.
“Given the right vantage point, say, for example, on a hilltop in the Northern Hemisphere, with an unobstructed view toward the north, a person can see the aurora even when it is 1,000 km (600 miles) further north ,” NOAA explained.
The best times to observe auroras are around the spring and autumn equinoxes.
NOAA
“It should be noted that if you are in the right place under the aurora, you can see very beautiful auroral displays even with low geomagnetic activity.”
You’ll also want to make sure you’re somewhere dark, so get out of town.
Avoid looking at the full Moon if it’s bright, and don’t look at smartphone apps either – both of which will limit your eye’s adjustment to darkness.
NOAA says the best time to see the aurora is generally “an hour or two before midnight” — so between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
Auroras – how do they work?
Here’s NASA’s official explanation…
- The dancing lights of the auroras provide spectacular views of the ground, but they also capture the imagination of scientists who study the energy and particles arriving from the sun.
- Auroras are an effect of these energetic particles, which can leave the Sun either in a constant stream called the solar wind or due to giant eruptions known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs.
- After a journey toward Earth that can last two to three days, solar particles and magnetic fields trigger the release of particles already trapped near Earth, which in turn trigger reactions in the upper atmosphere in which oxygen and nitrogen molecules release photons of light.
- The result: the northern and southern lights.
If you have some time to plan, you can increase your chances even further.
“The best times to observe auroras are near the spring and fall equinoxes,” NOAA said.
“Due to subtleties in the way the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere, there is a tendency for larger geomagnetic storms and therefore better auroras to occur closer to the equinoxes.
“However, the number of hours of darkness decreases (increases) rapidly near the spring (fall) equinox, so this warning should be considered for those traveling to view the aurora.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
