Northern lights

2022 - 8 - 17

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Image courtesy of "Vox"

The northern lights could show up tonight. Here's where to look. (Vox)

Thanks to a geomagnetic storm, Oregon, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and New York could all see the northern lights after dusk.

But before the CMEs get here tomorrow, a coronal hole high-speed stream is expected to arrive tonight and drive a G1, or “minor,” geomagnetic storm. Auroras are one of the few ways we can see space weather from the ground, and while they’re usually confined to the poles, enough excitement from the sun can create auroras much farther away. [coronal mass ejection](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/coronal-mass-ejections) (CME) is a large burst of magnetized plasma from the sun’s corona, its outermost layer. The two bursts may combine en route and create a geomagnetic storm reaching G3, or “strong” levels. [high-energy particles from the sun](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/aurora) collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s the product of some recent rare and unusual weather in space.

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Image courtesy of "The Philadelphia Inquirer"

Northern lights could be visible over parts of the U.S. due to 'strong ... (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

"It's very angry," a space-weather expert says of the sun. But it probably isn't angry enough to send the northern lights as far south as Philadelphia.

I’ve got the other 93 million,’ “ Murtagh says. “North is better,” he said. Sunspots are associated with higher numbers of magnetic storms. This particular outbreak is “unusual,” he said. [After a long lull,](https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/homepage/20090622_Trying_to_spot_differences_in_the_sun.html) [“sunspot” activity,](https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/homepage/20090622_Trying_to_spot_differences_in_the_sun.html) resulting from strong magnetic disturbances in the sun’s interior, is increasing. “It just keeps pumping out these mass ejections. [NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite](https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/current-satellite-missions/currently-flying/dscovr-deep-space-climate-observatory) and its [real-time solar wind](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/real-time-solar-wind) instruments are on the case. [“G3″ — G for geomagnetic](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation) — on the 1-to-5 scale, strong enough to interfere with radio communications and satellite operations. [ignited by the interaction](https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/telecons/archive/PR_E-PO/Aurora_flyer/aurora-flyer_p2.doc.pdf) of CMEs and the earth’s magnetosphere. [NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/) issued a geomagnetic-storm warning on Wednesday for [“strong” activity](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation) with the sun expected to stay in an agitated state for the next few days, said Bill Murtagh, the center’s program director. [Space may be the next tourism frontier](https://www.inquirer.com/news/space-tourism-blue-origin-moon-20211211.html) “It’s very angry,” said Murtagh, adding that he has counted over a dozen so-called coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, and “the storm has barely begun.”

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Image courtesy of "oregonlive.com"

Will Portland be able to see the northern lights Wednesday night? (oregonlive.com)

It's rare for aurora lights to show up in Portland's night sky, but geomagnetic storm watches have stargazers excited for chances of seeing the light show ...

And it’s unlikely Portland would have enough of a break in the clouds to be able to see the northern lights, even if they make it this far south. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center points out that being able to see the aurora depends mainly on two factors: geomagnetic activity (the degree of disturbance of the earth’s magnetic field at the time) and your geographic location. David Bishop, National Weather Service meteorologist in the Portland office, says G3 level storms don’t normally reach far enough south to actually allow people to see the aurora in the Portland area. But tonight’s cloud cover forecast is challenging, with the forecast depending on the extent of weather moving up from the south. The The storm watches are in effect Wednesday through Friday, Aug.

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Image courtesy of "lehighvalleylive.com"

Northern lights forecast: Aurora borealis could be visible in ... (lehighvalleylive.com)

The best opportunity for seeing the northern lights in the Lehigh Valley will likely be early Thursday morning and again on Thursday night from places with ...

Third, as always, is the weather itself. through the dawn both nights. [NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/), told [lehighvalleylive.com](http://lehighvalleylive.com). If any of these factors spoil your aurora observations, don’t worry. A typical G3 event can cause aurora as far south as Illinois and Oregon, as well as generally minor disruptions to satellite navigation and radio. The stronger it is, the better the chance it can be seen in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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Image courtesy of "The Washington Post"

Aurora borealis could dazzle skies in northern United States this week (The Washington Post)

A strong geomagnetic storm could spur the northern lights from New England to the Great Lakes to Oregon.

We will be seeing that level of storming in the coming months and years.” We’ve not had a G4 or higher geomagnetic storm yet in this stage of the cycle,” Murtaugh said. Certain parts of Earth appear more at risk from solar weather than others. Auroras are created when the sun sends a burst of energy and particles toward Earth through solar flares, coronal mass ejections or solar wind streams. In this case, several coronal mass ejections (CMEs), or large expulsions of plasma and magnetic material from the sun, were created in a particularly active region of the sun over the past few days. “There’s a lot of excitement from solar physicists and space weather people, but there’s no concern. Coronal mass ejections can move anywhere from 1 million mph to 6 million mph as they travel through space, meaning that a faster-moving CME can easily overtake a slower one before it reaches Earth. [#solarstorms]to hit begins on the 18th according to NOAA/SWPC predictions. On Wednesday, sky watchers in the Upper Midwest and New England may be seeing too much cloud cover to get a good view of the aurora. Get the latest from NOAA [@NWSSWPC]. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has issued geomagnetic storm watches for Earth from Wednesday through Friday. Activity is expected to peak Thursday into Friday as a strong geomagnetic storm, rated G3, reaches Earth.

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Image courtesy of "Detroit Free Press"

Northern lights might be visible in Michigan sky until Friday night (Detroit Free Press)

It's time to look to the sky as the odds of seeing the northern lights improve over the next few nights. Recent solar activity and weather conditions could ...

For best visibility, avoid areas with light pollution and try to gain an unobstructed view of the night sky. These charged particles then emit light that we perceive as the aurora. The Upper Peninsula is known to offer great conditions to view night sky phenomena due to its latitude, but Lower Peninsula residents may also get the chance to witness the northern lights as they're predicted to be visible as far south as Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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Image courtesy of "NBC Chicago"

Parts of Illinois Could See Northern Lights Wednesday Night. Here's ... (NBC Chicago)

The Northern Lights could be visible in parts of northern Illinois and other parts of the Midwest several times this week, but the peak of the solar storm ...

The best chances for viewing will be to head as far north as possible, according to NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Paul Deanno. Geomagnetic storm conditions are rated on a scale from G1 for the weakest to G5 for the strongest, and Wednesday night could see a G3-level event, meaning that late Wednesday night could be the best time to see the Northern Lights across the area. The Northern Lights could be visible in parts of northern Illinois and other parts of the Midwest several times this week, but the peak of the solar storm is expected to arrive Wednesday night, giving Chicago-area residents a chance to potentially see them.

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Image courtesy of "Appleton Post Crescent"

'Dazzling displays': Look for aurora borealis northern lights show ... (Appleton Post Crescent)

Keep an eye to the sky across Wisconsin on Wednesday night as the aurora borealis, or northern lights, may be making a rare appearance.

Skies over the southern half of Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee metro area, are expected to be mostly clear on Wednesday night. Auroras for this storm may be visible, if weather conditions are favorable, as far south as Pennsylvania to Iowa to Oregon, NOAA reported. This is the third level of NOAA's five-level geomagnetic storm scale. (G1 storms are minor; G5s are considered extreme.) Auroras typically appear as rippling curtains of green, red or purple light. The chances of the northern lights making an appearance over southern Wisconsin are fairly high again Thursday, "but there will be more clouds around," Cronce said.

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Image courtesy of "KTVQ Billings News"

Northern Lights making rare appearance in Montana (KTVQ Billings News)

BILLINGS — The Aurora Borealis is a familiar sight in places like Alaska and Canada, but in Montana, it's a fairly rare occurrence to witness.

It's just because the magnetic pull deflects it up there and the same thing applies on the other side of the globe on the southern hemisphere where it gets deflected up to Antarctica. Typically the lights are reversed to the northern and southern poles from the magnetic pull of the Earth. "What causes the Aurora is charge particles coming off of the sun and quite a large amount of them.

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Image courtesy of "KING5.com"

Aurora borealis visible over western Washington Wednesday night (KING5.com)

Thankfully the forecast tonight is favorable for viewing aurora borealis. Sky conditions won't be perfect though, due to the fact that we'll have some thin ...

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Image courtesy of "WWMT-TV"

Best chances to see the Northern Lights in West Michigan (WWMT-TV)

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A relatively rare sky spectacle may be visible over West Michigan Wednesday and Thursday nights. The Aurora Borealis, also known as ...

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Image courtesy of "NPR"

The Northern Lights may move farther south into the mainland U.S. ... (NPR)

What happens during a geomagnetic storm? During the storm, a coronal hole (the spots that appear black on the Sun) prompts high winds, which in turn, trigger ...

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Image courtesy of "WBFO"

The Northern Lights may move farther south into the mainland U.S. ... (WBFO)

The Northern Lights, known scientifically as auroras borealis, are triggered by geomagnetic activity from the Sun. They typically occur closer to the North ...

"In order to surf, you need to paddle up to the right speed for an ocean wave to pick you up and accelerate you, and we found that electrons were surfing. If they were moving with the right speed relative to the wave, they would get picked up and accelerated. When the electrons reach Earth's thin upper atmosphere, they collide with nitrogen and oxygen molecules, sending them into an excited state. A CME projects plasma and pieces of the sun's magnetic field into the atmosphere. But, like a taut rubber band when it's released, the magnetic field snaps back, and the force of that recoil creates powerful ripples known as Alfvén waves about 80,000 miles from the ground. [according](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Image courtesy of "WTAE Pittsburgh"

Northern Lights in Pennsylvania? Geomagnetic storms could shift ... (WTAE Pittsburgh)

Those eruptions could cause strong geomagnetic storms as soon as Thursday, which could shift the Aurora Borealis further south. That means if weather permits, ...

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Image courtesy of "WDIV ClickOnDetroit"

Best chance to see Northern Lights in Michigan this week is tonight ... (WDIV ClickOnDetroit)

Dim the lights: Find an area with less light pollution for your best chance. Northern ...

They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora Australis' in the south.. The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. These storms result from variations in the solar wind that produces major changes in the currents, plasmas, and fields in Earth’s magnetosphere.

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Image courtesy of "USA TODAY"

'Dazzling displays': Aurora borealis might be visible across northern ... (USA TODAY)

Keep an eye to the sky again Thursday night: The aurora borealis, aka northern lights, may be making a rare appearance for the second night in a row.

Auroras for this storm may be visible, if weather conditions are favorable, as far south as Pennsylvania to Iowa to Oregon, NOAA reported. Although the best views of the aurora were likely Wednesday night, more are also possible Thursday night. (G1 storms are minor; G5s are considered extreme.) This is the third level of NOAA's five-level geomagnetic storm scale. The storms can drive the aurora farther south from its usual position over the polar region. - The storms can drive the aurora further south from its usual position over the polar region.

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Image courtesy of "CBS News"

There's a chance we could see the Northern Lights Thursday night (CBS News)

By Terry Eliasen, Meteorologist, WBZ-TV Exec. Weather Producer. BOSTON - It is one of the most exciting and awe-inspiring sights on Earth.

The best chance to see an Aurora was actually Wednesday night, but clouds in our area made it impossible to see anything. When we try to forecast the likelihood of an Aurora sighting, we look to something called the "kp index". Most indications are that the activity is waning. [eject](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/solar-ejection-sun-earth-northern-lights-power-voltage-issues/) from the Sun and head in our direction. Several months ago, there were some sightings from Cape Ann and Cape Cod off in the far northern horizon. Personally, I had one brief glimpse, many years ago, driving down Route 2 on my way home from work, a curtain of red magically appeared overhead.

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Image courtesy of "Prevention.com"

The Northern Lights Are Moving South and May Be Visible in ... (Prevention.com)

These lights, called the aurora borealis, are typically seen near the North Pole in Alaska and Canada. People in rural areas of Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Oregon ...

[aurora](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/aurora) is a luminous glow that can be seen around magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres, according to [The University of Alaska](https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast). Arielle Weg is the associate editor at Prevention and loves to share her favorite wellness and nutrition obsessions. Those who are viewing from rural areas in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Oregon will likely get the best views of tonight’s light display. The storm watch is in effect from August 17 through 19 and could push the aurora lights farther south, making them visible from regions in the mainland U.S. The light is typically caused when electrically charged particles streaming from the sun in the solar wind enter Earth’s atmosphere and collide with atoms of gas (like oxygen and nitrogen). These can cause strong geomagnetic storms and fast solar winds, known as a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. to catch a glimpse of the spectacular show. And of course, scan the sky when you’re at your viewing location—the lights can come from any direction. Here, find out how to get a peek at the northern lights. [geomagnetic storm](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/geomagnetic-storms) may bring the stunning colors of the northern lights to the northern part of the mainland U.S. this week (where they’re not typically seen), according to the [National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/). and ending at 3 a.m.

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Image courtesy of "Minnesota Public Radio News"

Northern lights and lightning create a show (Minnesota Public Radio News)

Parts of Minnesota's North Shore saw enough breaks in the clouds to see both lightning and northern lights at once overnight Wednesday night.

Donate today to power news, analysis, and community conversations for all. Gifts from individuals fuel the programs that you and your neighbors rely on. While the thunderstorms created too much cloud cover for most of Minnesota to see the northern lights, along parts of the North Shore you could see both at once!

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Image courtesy of "Bring Me The News"

Epic video of northern lights during thunderstorm in Minnesota (Bring Me The News)

Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17, this video was taken just outside of Lutsen, Minnesota and provided to Bring Me The News by John Thain of Odyssey Resorts ...

The northern lights were forecast to be brilliant Wednesday night thanks to a moderate geomagnetic storm, though it was a matter of which areas of Minnesota would escape cloud cover. This got the best of both, creating a mesmerizing time lapse of the aurora borealis during a thunderstorm. 17, this video was taken just outside of Lutsen, Minnesota and provided to Bring Me The News by John Thain of Odyssey Resorts.

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Image courtesy of "NBC 10 Philadelphia"

We Might Be Able to See Northern Lights in Philly Area Tonight ... (NBC 10 Philadelphia)

The northern lights might be seen in the Philadelphia region Thursday night. Here's how to see the aurora borealis in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"There's a geomagnetic storm headed our way that could be strong enough to produce aurora as far south as Philadelphia, but the peak of that storm is unfortunately forecasted to arrive before sunset. "The good news is skies that will be clear tonight, so, if the northern lights are bright enough there’s a chance we’ll get to see them." For the best chances to see the aurora borealis, get away from city lights and look north between 9:30 p.m. Thursday and 4:30 a.m. Even then, however, you might not see the show in the sky. "It is rare that we get a magnetic storm powerful enough to allow us to see the northern lights in Pennsylvania, but it appears we may get that chance tonight,"

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Image courtesy of "Spectrum News NY1"

Northern Lights may be visible in mainland U.S. thanks to ... (Spectrum News NY1)

The Northern Lights – a dizzying array of curtained lights also known as the aurora borealis – can usually be seen near the Arctic Circle in places like ...

Except that a total solar eclipse, though much rarer than the aurora borealis, is completely predictable. An aurora borealis sighting might be compared to experiencing a solar eclipse. A June 2021 paper published in the journal The aurora borealis is generated by solar winds and storms, sunspots and coronal holes. That’s because the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a level 3 geomagnetic storm watch for August 18, caused by significant coronal mass ejections from the sun. EST and 4:30 a.m.

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Image courtesy of "KARE11.com"

Northern Lights and storms put on a show over Minnesota (KARE11.com)

Odyssey Resorts captured video of the Aurora Borealis as storm clouds and lightning passed over Lake Superior near Lutsen.

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Image courtesy of "Gizmodo"

Some Lucky U.S. Northerners Might See the Aurora Thursday and ... (Gizmodo)

The U.S. also warns some unlucky folks could potentially experience power outages and radio signal issues as a 'cannibal' CME plays with Earth's magnetic ...

[dubbed the Carrington Event](https://gizmodo.com/when-will-there-be-a-new-solar-superstorm-1847616173) (after hobbyist astronomer Richard Carrington noticed the commotion through his telescope). [announced](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-g3-watches-17-19-august-2022) Tuesday that there were geomagnetic storm watches in effect for this week, and that a G2-level CME hit the Earth on Wednesday. [NOAA’s forecasts](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast) for routine updates. The area of effect was pushing northwards, and as of Thursday afternoon UTC, NOAA reported that an area of impact is around 60 degrees latitude, and the aurora could be visible in states like Maine or the northern part of Michigan. [Get $500 back in creditLast Chance: Samsung Bespoke AI Washer and Dryer Preorder](https://events.release.narrativ.com/api/v0/client_redirect/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Fhome-appliances%2Fwashers%2Fbespoke%2Fbespoke-ultra-capacity-front-load-washer-and-electric-dryer-in-silver-steel-bndl-1657833038062%2F%3Fnrtv_cid%3D.nrtv_plchldr.%26cid%3Dopmc-ecomm-nrtiv-pc-042720-142005-theinventory-12210612%26utm_source%3Dtheinventory%26utm_medium%3Dnarrativ%26utm_campaign%3D12210612%26utm_content%3Dpc%26nrtv_as_src%3D1&a=1781351913987463243&uuid=1683ceb1-5754-4e70-aee5-992879478a73&uid_bam=1780607800286527342&ar=1781352806055152904) Studies have already calculated how a large solar storm might cause damage to the more sensitive parts of the U.S.’ power infrastructure, including parts of the East Coast and Upper Midwest. [coronal mass ejection](https://gizmodo.com/dead-sunspot-explosion-spits-plasma-toward-earth-1848783168), otherwise known as a CME. There were past reports that solar storms [caused sea mines to detonate](https://gizmodo.com/a-powerful-solar-storm-likely-detonated-dozens-of-u-s-1830321540) and have caused [some havoc](https://gizmodo.com/solar-storms-satellite-damage-1849405320) with orbiting satellites. For those trying to catch a glimpse before the weekend, you’ll want to keep track of When those molecules finally start to release that pent up energy, they create the wavering light show known as the aurora borealis. There have been occasions where solar storms have caused some damage. This caused the aurora borealis to appear in the skies above Herzogswalde, Germany, according to [Spaceweather.com](https://www.spaceweather.com/).

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Image courtesy of "CNET"

Why Can I Never See The Northern Lights From Where I Live? (CNET)

Man watching aurora borealis in north Iceland. Getty Images. You know the drill: Buzzy articles claim that the Northern Lights, the dazzling phenomenon known ...

Wouldn't it be nice if we could be given a prime block of time when the aurora is most likely to show up? Murtagh offered me, and other city dwellers, a bit of hope. "To see the sky waving in shades of green and yellow, sometimes red and purple. "You might be out hunting it for hours on end, and then, the perfect storm of events comes along, and you finally see it." "I've had people say, 'I went looking for (the aurora), and I didn't see anything!'" Murtagh told me. That inhibits our ability to see stars and planets.

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Image courtesy of "WCPO"

Northern Lights may be visible in the Tri-State tonight (WCPO)

Some of you could cross off a bucket list item tonight! The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, may be visible here in the Tri-State, ...

You may see them the moment the sun sets, or you may have to wait a few hours. We are more likely to not see these, but there is a better than zero chance. - The best viewing is likely to be during the morning hours on Friday before sunrise. Here in the Tri-State we are in the "Visible on the Horizon" category, meaning it won't look like most photos or videos if we do see it. The lights do not appear on any kind of schedule and will appear during surges of that geomagnetic activity. While the chance of seeing it along the horizon isn't zero, the fact is, it's very very low.

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Image courtesy of "CBS News"

Northern Lights may be visible in Philadelphia region tonight. Here's ... (CBS News)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Thursday night clear skies may provide a rare heavenly sight for parts of the greater Philadelphia area. The Northern Lights aka the ...

Northern Lights are caused by a CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) of plasma off the surface of the sun. Thursday's geomagnetic storm was a strong G3 while tonight's will be a G2. We will also have more cloud cover tonight, making it difficult to see the lights even if they appear low on the horizon.

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