NEED TO KNOW
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On Wednesday, November 12, the Northern Lights can be seen in 18 US states
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Earlier this week, sky watchers shared photos of the phenomenon online as an aurora blazed from New York to California on Tuesday, November 11.
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The aurora borealis occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere
Nearly half of the U.S. put on a light show earlier this week — and it’s not over yet.
Small geomagnetic storms are forecast for tonight, November 12, after a wave of solar energy jolted Earth’s magnetic field earlier this week.
During the night of Tuesday, November 11 and into the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 12, the northern lights lit up the sky in 21 states from New York to California, with several people in each state sharing footage of the phenomenon.
The aurora borealis (northern lights) is caused by geomagnetic storms that occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating amazing waves of light in the sky.
A coronal mass ejection (CME), a large ejection of plasma and magnetic field from the sun, is expected to reach Earth around November 12, according to NOAA. at noon, likely causing increased geomagnetic activity.
Also, on NOAA’s K-index scale for measuring geomagnetic intensity, it is forecast to reach a 6 out of 9 tonight, indicating bright and active auroras.
Ready for another cosmic spectacle? Here’s everything you need to know about this amazing event.
When will the northern lights be visible?
Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty
The Northern Lights seen in the sky above St. Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the northeast coast.
The latest show was caused by a wave of solar energy that swept through Earth’s magnetic field earlier this week, causing small to moderate geomagnetic storms through Wednesday, Nov. 12, NOAA reports.
Forecasters expected a moderate geomagnetic storm on Tuesday and Wednesday night and noted that the aurora “line of sight” would drop even lower later this week.
Where will the northern lights be seen?
Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty
The Northern Lights as seen over Monroe, Wisconsin.
NOAA’s aurora forecast map shows parts of many northern U.S. states that are on or above the “line of sight,” meaning that auroras may appear low on the horizon in Alaska, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin.
While the chances of seeing the northern lights can improve further north, strong geomagnetic conditions sometimes push the lights even deeper into the continental United States, so even stargazers in the Midwest and Great Lakes region can catch some colors on the northern horizon.
How to observe the northern lights?
Steven Garcia/NurPhoto/Shutterstock.
Northern Lights over Minneapolis, Minn.
Auroras are unpredictable by nature, so you should first find a dark, open area away from the city.
After all, the northern lights tend to dance low on the northern horizon, so clear skies and minimal light pollution are key. Also, be sure to check the local weather before you go, as rain or snow can make viewing difficult at this time of year.
How to photograph the northern lights?
The good news: you don’t have to be a professional to capture the magic of the Northern Lights.
If you’re hoping to photograph the northern lights, you’ll want to keep your setup as stable as possible, as the aurora is best captured with a long exposure. But if you have a smartphone, it works too!
All you need to do is go to your device’s settings and tap the Night Mode or Professional Mode option with similar exposure times.
For example, pictures taken on the East Coast last week showed the red and green lights of the aurora borealis (northern lights) lighting up the sky behind several famous landmarks, including St. Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the north east coast in the early hours of Wednesday 12 November.
The middle US also performed quite well. In Monroe, Wis., several colors could be seen lighting up the night sky in bright pinks, reds and greens, lighting up rural homesteads and open fields. Minneapolis also saw several colors light up the sky above the city.
One man shared a shot of the northern lights near Livingston, Montana, on X, showing a brown horse standing against a multicolored sky. On one side of the photo, the sky was bright red and on the other, bright green.
Another person showed their view of the lights “near Cincinnati” in Ohio X, which showed a bright red hue lighting up a portion of the sky behind a few trees.
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