The northern lights may be visible overnight from up to 25 northern U.S. states on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14, after a coronal mass ejection was detected leaving the sun on June 11. Here’s how to photograph the northern lights using a phone.
A CME is a cloud of charged particles often created by solar flares. Unlike solar flares, which travel at light speed, CMEs move at up to 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) per second and take a few days to travel across the solar system. If they are Earth-directed, they can produce geomagnetic storms and auroras. One is expected to glance Earth on June 13-14.
The chance of aurora comes as Venus and Jupiter continue a spectacular conjunction in the western sky after sunset.
Northern Lights Forecast: Space Weather Forecasts
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has warned that a G1-class geomagnetic storm is possible. “Active to G1 (Minor) storming levels are anticipated on 13 June due to the persistence of the high-speed stream and the arrival of glancing CME influences,” stated the agency in a forecast.
The UK’s Met Office upped the stakes, suggesting that, “The chance of G1/ Minor Storm activity persists into day 3 (13 Jun), with an additional slight chance of isolated G2-G3/Moderate-Strong Storms from any significant glancing CME impact.”
Space weather can change rapidly, with forecasts revised frequently.
Northern Lights Alert: Where And When
A G1-class geomagnetic storm could see aurora visible on the northern horizon from around 10 northern U.S. states and Canada overnight on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14. U.S. states with the best chance include the northern parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine.
If a G2-class geomagnetic storm erupts, aurora may be viewable from states farther south, such as Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
If G3 storming commences, those under very dark skies in Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland may also see aurora.
An easy way to see what may soon become visible in North America is to check aurora webcams around the world as darkness falls.
Aurora Forecast: Moon Phase And Solstice
In the lead-up to the June solstice, nights become very short, with twilight persisting for much of the night in northern U.S. states and much of Canada. That limits darkness and makes the aurora more difficult to see.
However, the moon phase is perfect: a new moon on Sunday, June 14, will leave the night sky free of moonlight.
Aurora Alert: Coronal Mass Ejections
The northern lights are caused by the solar wind, a constant stream of charged particles flowing from the sun that interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. The solar wind becomes super-charged by a CME.
Exactly when a CME will arrive is always uncertain. When it does, charged particles accelerate down the field lines of Earth’s magnetic field. They collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere, exciting the gases and causing them to release energy as shimmering light. An oval of green and red appears around Earth’s poles. If the geomagnetic storm is strong enough, it can stretch down to mid-latitudes.
Northern Lights Tonight: Latest Updates
To check visibility in real time, use NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast or download apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora for up-to-the-minute alerts and live solar wind data.
Whether aurora displays materializes largely depends on the interplanetary magnetic field, specifically its Bz component (you’ll find it in some of the above apps and on SpaceWeatherLive.com). Bz determines how easily solar energy enters Earth’s magnetosphere. When Bz points north, Earth’s field resists it; when Bz swings south, the two fields connect, allowing plasma to stream in. A sustained southward Bz of −5 nT or stronger usually signals an imminent display of aurora.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.