5 days ago
The Aurora Borealis could be seen in 14 U.S. states tonight—is yours one of them?
Our fascination with the Northern Lights is never-ending, perhaps because we all crave a deeper connection to nature. Seeing the sky do something so unusual and breathtaking reminds us that we are part of a universe whose mysteries we don't completely understand. So it's great news that tonight, folks in 14 U.S. states may be able to see the stunning Aurora Borealis IRL, according to Get yourself to a remote location without light interference, pour a glass of wine and lie back—the show will hopefully be spectacular.
The Northern Lights will, of, course be visible from our most northern state Alaska, as is typically the case. But folks as far south as South Dakota may also be able to see them. A hole has opened up in the sun's atmosphere, which is causing heavy geomagnetic activity.
What does that mean, exactly? Science moment brought to you by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center and summarized as best as possible by an English major: The sun gives off electrically charged particles that collide with nitrogen and oxygen in the earth's upper atmosphere. When enough of these collisions occur, nitrogen discharges a blue light, and oxygen emits a greenish-yellow or even red one. The other colors you see are from these lights blending. And that's the Aurora Borealis!
Earlier this year, there were 17 states in America that had the chance of seeing the Northern Lights during a similar geomagnetic storm (sorry, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Nebraska: you fell off the list this time!)
Tonight, you can increase your chances of seeing the Northern Lights by finding a north-facing vantage point in a dark space without light pollution. Try looking around 1 a.m. your local time.
So which U.S. states can you expect or hope to see the big display tonight? They are:
1. Alaska
2. Minnesota
3. North Dakota
4. Montana
5. Maine
6. Michigan
7. Wisconsin
8. Vermont
9. New Hampshire
10. Washington
11. Oregon
12. Idaho
13. New York
14. South Dakota
