Auroras are twice as likely in the weeks leading up to the spring equinox
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NEED TO KNOW
- On Monday, Feb. 23 and Tuesday, Feb. 24, the northern lights could become visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time as geomagnetic activity reaches minor storm levels, per NOAA
- Up to 11 U.S. states near the Canadian border could catch faint glimmers of the aurora borealis if skies are dark and clear
- Conditions are expected to lessen by Wednesday, Feb. 25, making Monday, Feb. 23, and Tuesday, Feb. 24, the strongest opportunities to catch the glow
Stop what you’re doing, and look up!
If you’ve been patiently waiting for the aurora borealis, late February is your window.
The sky is about to put on a show, and according to the latest update from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, Earth is currently being brushed by fast-moving solar wind streams, which are stirring up our planet’s magnetic field and increasing the potential for a round of northern lights.
The northern lights (aurora borealis) are a result of geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, creating brilliant waves of light in the sky. Still, their visibility depends on several factors, including intensity and location.
While overall solar activity is quiet, geomagnetic conditions are expected to reach minor storm levels, enough to spark northern lights across high latitudes and possibly farther south than usual under dark, clear skies.
Still, according to Spaceweather.com, solar wind is also intensifying because a hole in the sun’s outer atmosphere has opened up.
Can’t make it outside tonight? Not to worry, as the northern lights are forecasted to continue.
As a result of sunspot AR 4366 producing several powerful X-class solar flares early this month, auroras are twice as likely in the weeks leading up to the spring equinox on March 20.
In the meantime, however, read on for how, when and where to watch tonight’s northern lights spectacle.
When will the northern lights be visible?
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While auroras are forecasted to continue until the spring equinox, the strongest window to catch the northern lights is Monday, Feb. 23, through Tuesday, Feb. 24, according to the latest forecast from the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
Your best bet is to look up between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, when auroras tend to peak, especially around midnight.
Where will the northern lights be visible?
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According to NOAA’s aurora view line, the northern lights will be visible, most likely low on the horizon near the Canadian border, including Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michian and Maine.
How to watch the northern lights?
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Find a dark location away from city lights, ideally with a clear view of the northern sky.
The darker your surroundings, the more vivid the aurora colors will appear. Remember to also keep tabs on real-time conditions using NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast and space-weather apps that track solar wind and magnetic field changes.
How to photograph the northern lights?
You don’t need professional gear to capture the auroras… but it certainly helps!
If you're hoping to photograph the northern lights, you'll want to keep your setup as steady as possible, since the auroras are best captured with long exposures. But if you have a smartphone handy, that works just fine.
All you have to do is head to your device's settings and tap the "Night Mode" option or “Pro Mode” with similar exposure times.
Read the full article here
