The aurora borealis can also be seen as far south as Texas and Florida.
A powerful geomagnetic storm has hit Earth’s atmosphere, sparking the aurora borealis that shines across multiple states.
Northern lights could dazzle the skies of more than a dozen states thanks to a massive solar event that reached Earth on December 9th.
The coronal mass ejection, a massive ejection of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun, is expected to reach Earth around noon on Dec. 9 and is likely to cause an increase in geomagnetic activity, according to an alert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
According to NOAA’s two geomagnetic storm scales, the phenomenon could lead to more active auroras on Dec. 9.
For one, on the K-index scale, which measures how far the aurora can be seen from the North Pole, NOAA is predicting a 5 out of 9, indicating a brighter aurora. Another way to look at it is that the agency ranks this event as a G1, or minor event.
Auroras project colorful lights into the night sky as a result of the interaction between the sun’s plasma and the Earth’s magnetic field. According to the National Weather Service, this is a natural phenomenon and is officially known as the aurora borealis.
What time can we see the aurora tonight?
The aurora is not visible during the day. According to NOAA, the best time to see the Northern Lights is usually within one to two hours after midnight, but they can be seen any time of day, even in the dark.
Which state will see the Northern Lights tonight?
Parts of about 15 states are partially or completely within NOAA’s Dec. 9 aurora forecast “line of view.” The view line marks the southernmost point where the aurora can be seen on the northern horizon.
However, this prediction is just a prediction.
”“The aurora doesn’t have to be directly overhead, but if it’s bright and the conditions are right, it can be seen from up to 600 miles away,” NOAA’s website states.
For example, during the strong event on November 11, skywatchers reported seeing the aurora borealis in southern states such as Texas, Florida, and Colorado, all of which were above the expected visibility line that night.
According to NOAA’s Forecast Viewline, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights in the following states:
- alaska
- idaho
- iowa
- maine
- Michigan
- minnesota
- montana
- new hampshire
- new york
- north dakota
- south dakota
- vermont state
- wyoming
- washington
- wisconsin
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
