The Aurora Borealis is back and is expected to be on display through the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that the states with the best views include several in the northern parts of the United States.
On January 20, the Sun experienced a massive gathering, causing auroras. NASA. The space agency said the ejection was an M5.5 class flare—a medium-strength solar flare—and was heading toward Earth. A G2-level geologic storm, classified as a “moderate” storm, is forecast. NOAA. Because these are estimates, they may change as more information emerges.
Best places to see the Aurora Borealis?
If the weather is clear, the Northern Lights should be visible in several northern states this weekend. They are: Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
On Friday evening, the aurora will be more intense and visible in parts of Wyoming, northern Iowa, northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire. The strongest phase of the solar storm is expected to arrive early Saturday. By Sunday evening and continuing into Monday, the Aurora Borealis should begin to fade. NOAA Forecast.
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Earth’s magnetic field is a protective shield
Earth’s magnetic field creates an invisible barrier that shields us from the solar wind. The magnetic field can be affected by strong solar winds. Spectacular auroras are created when the storm’s particle stream interacts with gases in the planet’s magnetic field.
During very large aurora events, displays can be seen across the United States and Europe, but these events are rare. In one extreme event in 1958, the aurora was visible from Mexico City, according to the University of Alaska.
What causes the Aurora Borealis?
When the Sun has solar flares, they drive plasma particles toward Earth.
Atomic excitations are induced in air molecules in the Earth’s magnetic field when charged electrons from the Sun collide with them. As the molecules settle, they emit light. Green and red light is emitted by oxygen. The color of nitrogen is blue and purple.
If you don’t see the auroras this weekend, don’t worry. Solar maximum, the top of the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle, when all kinds of solar weather, including more coronal mass injection and geomagnetic storms, occur more frequently. NASA astronomers said October 2024 That our star had just begun this part of its current cycle and it will likely experience increased storm activity for some years to come.
Sources NASA, NOAA, LiveScience, cnet.com, Space.com and USA Today Research
