A rare G4-level geomagnetic storm could light up U.S. skies from Sunday night into Monday. The aurora borealis may be visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California. The best time for viewing is from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. in dark- clear areas.
A strong geomagnetic storm will light up U.S. skies from Sunday night into Monday. This offers millions a rare chance to see the aurora borealis far from the Arctic.
The NOAA reports the aurora may be visible as far south as Alabama and Northern California. The brightest displays will be in northern states like Michigan and Washington. Parts of the central Plains and Midwest will also catch a glimpse of the glow. Even the South and Mid-Atlantic regions could see the northern lights on the horizon.
What the the Aura Borealis to appear?
The northern lights happen because of huge explosions on the sun called coronal mass ejections. These explosions send out a lot of material into space and when this material reaches Earth it interacts with our planet’s magnetic field, creating beautiful lights in the sky.
Right now, there is a very strong storm happening which has reached a “G4” level. This means it’s a “severe” storm on a scale that measures how active the Earth’s magnetic field is. When the storm is this strong the northern lights can be seen much farther from the North Pole than usual, reaching places where they do not usually appear.
If you want to know when and where you can see the lights, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has real-time updates and tools to help you track the aurora.
How to See the Northern Lights:
To see the beautiful Northern Lights, you need to go away from the bright city lights, because the sky needs to be really dark. It’s best to find a place where you can see the sky without anything blocking your view, like a tall building or a big tree.
The best time to see the lights is between 10 at night and 2 in the morning when the sky is the darkest. If you can not see the lights with your eyes you can try using your phone’s camera and sometimes the camera can catch them even if they are too soft to see.
Before you go outside, it is good to check the weather to make sure it is clear, so you don’t miss the show. The Northern Lights can be quick so keep looking up at the sky, stay alert and you might just catch the magical light show.
