Look Up! The Northern Lights and Blood Moon Total Eclipse Will Dazzle in the Night Sky Tonight
Stargazers in Alaska and parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine will have the best chance of viewing the northern lights.
Tonight's possible northern lights sighting coincides with the Blood Worm Moon total lunar eclipse, which kicks off just before 12 a.m. EDT.Stargazers in states along the Canadian border may be able to see the northern lights this evening due to a geomagnetic storm that occurred on Wednesday. Even better? This phenomenon could coincide with the Blood Worm Moon total lunar eclipse, which will also happen tonight.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a Kp of four out of nine tonight and tomorrow. Per the the Geophysical Institute, the Kp Index is a numeric scale that describes geomagnetic activity and is computed by averaging the magnetic activity globally every three hours.
According to NOAA's forecast map, the aurora borealis is expected to put on a colorful show for stargazers in most of Alaska, as well as parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine.
Related: How to See the 'Blood Worm Moon' Total Lunar Eclipse This Week—a Rare Phenomenon You Don't Want to Miss
The northern lights are caused by magnetic storms triggered by solar activity, such as a coronal mass ejection (CME). Per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, particles from these events are carried from the sun by solar wind. When these particles enter Earth's atmosphere, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen particles. As these air particles shed the energy they acquired from the impact, each atom glows a different color.
The best chance of seeing the northern lights this evening will be between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. NOAA recommends moving away from light pollution and finding a high vantage point.
While looking for the northern lights, also take time to admire the full Blood Moon total lunar eclipse, which begins just before midnight EDT on March 13. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes into the darkest part of Earth's shadow. Because Earth can't block the entirety of the sun's bright light, the moon appears to glow red-orange.
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