Beware of aurora chasers! The Northern Lights could get a boost tonight as Earth is expected to be hit by the first in a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched from the sun earlier this week.
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has released a G2 (Moderate) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for October 16 due to several impending solar storms. The strongest impact is expected late Thursday night and early Friday morning.
This means that northern lights could once again dip further south than usual, offering a glimpse of the aurora to skywatchers in several northern U.S. states, weather and light pollution permitting.
Where and when can you see the Northern Lights tonight?
According to NOAA Kp Index Forecastgeomagnetic storms are expected to peak between 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EDT (9:00 p.m. and 03:00 GMT on October 17), with an estimated Kp index of 5.67, firmly within G2 levels.
Based on the NOAA’s latest aurora forecast mapThe following 15 U.S. states appear entirely or partially above the line of sight of the aurora:
- Alaska
- Washington
- Idaho
- Montana
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
- Michigan
- new York
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Wyoming
- Iowa
But remember that the aurora is very unpredictable, so even if you’re in the line of sight, you’ll still need cloud-free skies, minimal light pollution, a clear view to the north, and a little luck to catch the show.
Northern hemisphere aurora forecast, courtesy of the Met Office
How to see the Northern Lights where you live
If you live in one of the 15 US states listed above, here are some tips for previewing the screen.
- Head to a dark place, away from city lights.
- Find a north-facing view with a clear horizon.
- Search between midnight and 2 a.m. local time, but keep an eye out as soon as the sky gets dark.
- Be patient. Auroras often come in waves and may appear faint at first.
We recommend downloading a space weather app that provides aurora forecasts based on your location. One option I use is “My Aurora Forecasts and Alerts”, available for both iOS And Android. However, any similar app should work fine. I also use the “Space Weather Live” app, which is available on iOS And Androidto better understand if the current space weather the conditions are favorable for observing the aurora.
What causes aurora activity?
The latest expected burst of geomagnetic activity is due to expected arrival of several CMEs which left the sun between October 11 and 13. The combined arrival of multiple CMEs in close succession could result in a “stacked” impact, a cumulative disruption of Earth’s magnetic field that makes increased geomagnetic activity more likely.
