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The aurora borealis, the famous display better known as the northern lights, may become visible Wednesday night across the northwestern U.S. and some midwestern states.
The stunning phenomenon that features a display of greenish and reddish hues have occurred with relative frequency in recent months. And skygazers who revel in glimpsing the striking sight are in luck, as the northern lights may only become visible more and more often.
Electromagnetic activity is increasing as the sun continues to reach the height of its 11-year solar cycle, which NASA said is expected to be in 2025. What that so-called “solar maximum” means for us is that the risk increases for disruption to satellite signals, radio communications, internet and electrical power grids.
But so too does the potential to see some of these impressive northern lights displays.
Here’s how to spot the northern lights potentially on Wednesday:
Where are northern lights forecast to be most visible?
The coronal mass ejections – clouds of plasma and charged particles – making their way toward our planet could be strong enough drive a geomagnetic storm that makes the auroras visible.
Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use a five-level ‘G scale’ to measure the intensity of geomagnetic storms, which are caused when coronal mass ejections release solar particles and electromagnetic radiation toward our planet. On Wednesday, the agency extended Tuesday’s minor G1 geomagnetic storm watch that could unveil the northern lights.
The aurora has a Kp index five, meaning the auroras will move from the poles and will appear brighter and more active if weather conditions are optimal, according to NOAA. The phenomenon may be visible in North America, including Canada, Alaska and some of the lower 48 states such as Michigan and Maine, NOAA said.
Other states within the aurora’s view line include Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to NOAA’s imagery.
When can you see the northern lights?
The upcoming solar storm will have particles flowing from the sun that get caught up in Earth’s magnetic field, causing colorful auroras to form as they interact with molecules of atmospheric gases. The resulting glowing green and reddish colors of the aurora may be quite a sight to see – if you look up at the right time.
If the weather is clear, the best aurora is usually visible within an hour or two of midnight, according to NOAA.
The agency maintains an aurora dashboard that should help skygazers track the phenomenon.
What are the Northern Lights?
The auroras are a natural light display in Earth’s sky that are famously best seen in high-latitude regions.
As auroras form, Earth’s magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that has fascinated humans for millennia.
In May, a rare powerful geomagnetic storm unleashed spectacular views of the northern lights visible to skygazers in the U.S. and across the world. The celestial show came after NOAA issued a rare storm watch for the first time in 19 years for a geomagnetic storm classified as a G4 – a single level away from being the most severe solar storm possible.
Because the sun is at the height of its 11-year cycle, the storm also created optimal conditions for the auroras to put on a light show for far more Americans than usual.
The phenomenon was also notably visible again in August during the Perseids, considered among astronomers to be the best meteor shower of the year.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]
