Prime Highlights:
- 10 northern United States states will see the aurora borealis tonight due to a geomagnetic storm.
- Best viewing time is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, in dark regions away from urban areas.
Key Facts:
- NOAA forecasts a Kp index of 4, typical of weak geomagnetic storm conditions.
- Watch areas are the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Michigan, Montana, and Maine.
- May 7 and 8 will see reduced aurora with a predicted Kp index of 3.
Key Background :
Northern lights or aurora borealis is a natural display of light occurring mostly in high-latitudes area around the Arctic. Northern lights are produced when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere and energize the atoms and molecules to vibration and leaps and release light.
Sun has recently moved into its “solar maximum” period, a part of its close to 11-year solar cycle. Solar activity such as sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is also maximum at this time. They can cause geomagnetic storms on our planet and thereby also strengthen auroras. NASA and NOAA released statements that Solar Cycle 25, which began in December of 2019, will continue to spike high towards the end of December of 2024 and early 2026 and predict increasing and increasingly severe auroral activity throughout the time.
In May 2024, the most powerful geomagnetic storm in two decades, northern lights extended as far south as Texas and northern Florida. It is a testament to the vigor of auroral activity over the period of a heightened solar activity.
To see northern lights correctly, the individual will need to be in a region where there will be no light pollution or little amount, i.e., rural locations or a remote hill location from town lights. Best time to observe aurora would be during 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time. It should be clear sky because existing clouds there will render observation impossible.
Aurora photography using DSLR/mirrorless or smartphone is space permitting. Low f-number (f/4 or lower) wide-angle lens, high ISOs, and manual focus to infinity using DSLR/mirrorless camera, whereas at smartphone night mode needs to be turned on and flash needs to be turned off in order to get the best.
Since there is increased sun activity, there is a better opportunity to witness the aurora borealis at a location lower than where it is normally seen. Look for weather watches through NOAA’s space weather alerting amateur hobbyists to organize events as well.
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