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A geomagnetic storm begins Friday and lasts through the weekend, so experts predict there could be a chance to see the northern lights further out in the continental United States, alongside the Perseid meteor shower that peaks this weekend.
Northern lights over Pyhae Luosto National Park in northern Finland.
Key facts
Friday night’s aurora borealis has a Kp index of six, meaning the lights will move even further away from the poles and become “quite bright and active,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A group of coronal mass ejections — eruptions of solar material — were released by some hyperactive sunspots on Wednesday and Thursday, and they are expected to appear this weekend.
The coronal mass ejections released on Wednesday are expected to arrive at Earth between Friday evening and Saturday morning, while the ejection that left on Thursday could arrive on Sunday evening.
NOAA has extended its Moderate Geomagnetic Storm Watch G2 that ran from Friday through Saturday to include Sunday, so there could be a chance to see the northern lights alongside the Perseid meteor shower, which is expected to peak between Sunday night and Monday morning.
The sun is still “littered” with active sunspots that have a history of creating minor to moderate M-class flares, so there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares over the weekend, with a slight chance of strong X-class flares, according to NOAA.
Solar activity has been unusually intense in recent months as the sun’s 11-year solar cycle approaches its expected peak between late 2024 and early 2026, with sunspots expected to intensify over the next year and likely trigger more geomagnetic storms.
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Where will the Northern Lights be visible tonight?
While it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the northern lights will appear, they could be most visible Tuesday night in Canada and Alaska, according to NOAA (see image below). However, the continental U.S. states in the northern lights’ line of sight include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Friday night view.
What is the best way to see the Northern Lights?
The northern lights are typically most active between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. To get the most out of these sightings, the agency advises traveling as close to the poles as possible, avoiding city lights and other light pollution, monitoring weather forecasts for the best viewing conditions, and finding a vantage point such as a hilltop.
What is the best way to photograph the Northern Lights?
Smartphone cameras are quite sensitive to capture the northern lights, even when they are invisible to the naked eye. Visit Iceland, a travel site dedicated to Iceland, where the lights are often visible, advises activating night mode to best increase the exposure of the smartphone camera.
Key context
Solar cycle 25, which occurs roughly every 11 years, has been producing geomagnetic storms that have recently led to observations of the northern lights. NASA predicts that it will continue next year. Solar cycle 25 began in December 2019 and is expected to peak (the expected peak of activity) between late 2024 and early 2026. It is expected to culminate in 115 sunspots, which are responsible for geomagnetic storms. While the peak has not yet occurred, solar activity has been more intense than scientists expected. So it is possible that there will be even more geomagnetic storms between now and 2025, although it is difficult to predict exactly when these storms will occur.
Further reading
Perseid meteor shower: Why astronomers recommend putting away your phone for this weekend’s viewing (Forbes)
