Topline
The northern lights could be visible as far south as southern Iowa and middle Illinois Thursday night as space weather forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict a strong forecast and significant geomagnetic activity over the next two days.
Key Facts
NOAA predicts ongoing strong geomagnetic storms—caused by solar activity disrupting Earth’s upper atmosphere—to continue through the evening and into Friday.
NOAA forecast a Kp index, which measures global geomagnetic activity, of 7 on a scale of 9 for around 9 p.m. Thursday and 7.3 at around 3 a.m. Friday, suggesting the northern lights might be visible quite far from the poles and into the middle United States.
Late Thursday night into early Friday morning will give Americans the best chance to see the lights of the next three days, with the likelihood of geomagnetic activity dropping daily through Saturday.
NOAA does not predict any solar activity Thursday night but does expect moderate radio blackouts.
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Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?
The northern lights will have the best chance of being seen as far north as possible, but NOAA’s predicted “view line” for Thursday covers parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. (See map below.)
What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?
Usually from a high vantage point, away from light pollution, while facing north sometime between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, according to NOAA. The lights will be most visible this weekend at around 3 a.m. Friday, according to NOAA’s kp index forecast.
What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?
NOAA suggests turning off flash on smartphones and using night mode. A tripod can help to stabilize the image. With a separate camera, photography experts told National Geographic it’s best to use a wide-angle lens, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the furthest possible setting.
Key Background
The Northern Lights appear as a colorful phenomena in the night sky when electrically charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth’s atmosphere. Also known as aurora borealis, the lights are visible most often and most clearly near the Arctic Circle because Earth’s magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles, but they can stretch far beyond their usual range during times of high solar or geomagnetic activity. The lights’ bright colors are determined by the chemical composition of the atmosphere.