Topline
Following a strong solar flare on Monday and geomagnetic storm activity over the weekend, Tuesday night may be the last time the U.S. will witness the Northern Lights this week, though they won’t be as intense as May’s dazzling auroras.
The Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, are seen in the sky above Kiruna on ... [+]
Key Facts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned Tuesday of moderate solar activity, meaning there may be a chance to see the Northern Lights again Tuesday night.
Tuesday night’s geomagnetic storm is expected to have a Kp index of three, meaning the lights will move further from the poles and appear brighter to observers, according to NOAA, but because Wednesday night’s projected Kp index is just one, this may be the last night to view the aurora borealis this week.
This comes after a Friday alert warning of a G2 geomagnetic storm, which caused the Northern Lights to be visible in parts of the U.S. over the weekend due to the storm’s moderately intense disturbances to Earth’s magnetic field.
Solar activity has been unusually busy in recent months as the sun’s 11-year solar cycle approaches its anticipated peak in July 2025, with sunspots expected to intensify over the next year, and likely triggering more geomagnetic storms
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Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible Tonight?
Although it’s notoriously difficult to predict where the Northern Lights will be visible, they may be the most visible Tuesday night in Canada and Alaska, according to the NOAA. However, other U.S. states within the aurora’s view line include the northernmost parts of Washington and Idaho, much of Montana and North Dakota, and northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
The view line of Tuesday night's aurora borealis.
What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?
The lights are the most active between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. For the best views of the Northern Lights, the agency advises traveling as close to the poles as possible, avoiding city lights and other light pollution, monitoring weather forecasts for prime viewing conditions and finding a position on a vantage point like a hilltop. Smartphone cameras are sensitive enough to pick up the aurora, even when it’s invisible to the naked eye. Visit Iceland, a tourist website for Iceland, where the lights are often visible, advises turning on night mode is best to increase smartphone camera exposure.
Surprising Fact
A strong S3 solar radiation storm that occurred Saturday was the strongest storm of its kind since September 2017, according to the NOAA. The storm peaked following a “significant” solar flare, which is an intense burst of radiation caused by the release of magnetic energy from solar spots. Storms of this magnitude can interrupt space satellites and solar launches, as well as disrupt shortwave radio signals. The solar flare came from the region of the sun called AR3667 (formerly known in May as AR3664)—the same sunspot that caused May’s intense aurora borealis. AR3667 fired off an even stronger flare on Monday, which may also contribute to more aurora borealis sightings. However, because this region of the sun is expected to rotate out of sight over the next few days, solar activity is expected to decrease to around moderate and minor levels.
Key Background
An event called Solar Cycle 25—the cycle the sun goes through around every 11 years—has been the cause of geomagnetic storms that have resulted in recent sightings of the Northern Lights, and NASA predicts it will continue on into next year. Cycle 25 began in Dec. 2019, and it’s estimated it will reach its maximum—when activity is expected to peak—in July 2025. It’s projected to peak with 115 sunspots, which are where geomagnetic storms originate. Although the maximum hasn’t happened yet, the sun’s activity has been busier than scientists anticipated, so it’s possible there will be even more geomagnetic storms leading up to 2025, though it’s difficult to predict exactly when these storms will occur.
