The northern lights may make an appearance in up to 10 U.S. states Saturday night, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has issued one of its most favorable aurora forecasts in weeks.
NOAA forecasters have issued a Kp index of four, a geomagnetic activity metric that suggests an increase in auroral activity and lights that “can be quite pleasing to look at” for observers in the right places.
The Kp index is forecast to reach its highest points from 4 p.m. CDT to 4 a.m. CDT.
The curved viewing line for Saturday goes as far south as central South Dakota, encompassing areas within 10 states, although the farther north people are located, the better chance they will have at seeing the northern lights.
The northern lights forecast for Sunday calls for less auroral activity, so observers thinking about getting a look at the aurora should probably do so Saturday night.
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The lights may be visible in Alaska, Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, the northern half of South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan (including the Michigan Peninsula) and Maine. As usual, much of Alaska and Canada will have the highest likelihood of seeing the northern lights.
The window of time between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time generally provides the best way to get a glimpse of the northern lights. Areas with clear skies and little to no light pollution can also improve viewing chances.
Smartphone users should avoid using flash and turn on night mode when trying to snap a picture of the northern lights. Those with standard cameras should use wide-angle lenses, low shutter speeds and high apertures.
Solar events like the northern lights are expected to continue into next year, as the sun reached a “solar maximum” in October, marking its peak solar activity in an 11-year cycle. Events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections contribute to northern lights activity, which occurs when electrons collide with molecules of nitrogen and oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere and produce energy in the form of light.
Get Ready For 50 Years Of Intense Northern Lights, Scientists Say (Forbes)
