Aurora Season Lights Up the Night Sky
Right on cue, the aurora season is beginning to light up the night sky. Sky watchers around the world are getting ready to witness the mesmerizing curtains of light known as the northern lights or aurora borealis. This week, there is a chance to see this natural phenomenon from Monday into Tuesday, with forecasts predicting that the lights could appear as far south as New York and Idaho. Some scientists even suggest that the activity could strengthen and give a light show down to Illinois or Oregon.
Auroras are created when the sun sends a burst of energy and particles towards Earth, often resulting from a coronal mass ejection, which is an eruption on the sun. Satellites detected a coronal mass ejection on Saturday, and it is expected that the particles from the ejection will reach Earth by Tuesday.
If the weather is clear, night owls may be able to witness this spectacle with their cameras or even with their naked eyes. Some sightings have already been reported in places like Wisconsin and Manitoba.
According to forecasts, the best time to view the northern lights this week will be in the pre-dawn hours. Traditionally, aurora activity tends to intensify in the weeks before and after an equinox, such as the one coming up on Saturday.
The current northern lights forecast anticipates a moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm, which could make the aurora visible as far south as New York and Idaho. However, scientists do not rule out the possibility of a stronger (G3) storm, which could allow for an aurora sighting down to Illinois and Oregon. It is worth noting that earlier this year, a severe (G4) storm surprised scientists and led to sightings as far south as Arizona.
The weather conditions generally seem favorable for viewing the aurora in the northern United States, with mainly clear skies expected. However, there may be overcast skies in northern New England and patchy cloud cover in the Upper Midwest, which may make seeing the lights a bit challenging.
The location and appearance of the aurora borealis depend on the strength of the geomagnetic storm. Different latitudes and altitudes will see the lights in various colors. Excited oxygen atoms shine red when they are more than 120 miles above the Earth’s surface, while they glow green from 60 to 120 miles. Excited nitrogen atoms give off a pink or purple hue below 120 miles. Typically, higher latitudes will see more intense auroras with dancing greens or purples, while lower latitudes may experience more red lights.
As for future aurora sightings, it is expected that aurora activity will increase over the next few years as the sun enters a period of high activity and sunspots known as the solar maximum.
So, if you are lucky enough to have clear skies and live in an area with a good view, don’t miss the opportunity to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the northern lights.