A strong geomagnetic storm is expected to produce a much stronger northern lights show than usual, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast, which could be visible in nearly two dozen states Saturday night, including some that rarely see the lights.
The northern lights could be visible in as many as 22 states Saturday night. (Photo by Hasan ... More
NOAA projected Saturday night’s northern lights display will have a Kp index of 7, the level of geomagnetic activity measured on a scale from 0 to 9, indicating lights that have moved far from the poles and are “quite bright and active.”
The aurora is expected to extend further south than usual because of a strong geomagnetic storm, which NOAA says is because a coronal mass ejection—an eruption of plasma and magnetic field from the sun—is estimated to reach Earth overnight.
The strong lights forecast comes amid a particularly active few days, as NOAA said moderate geomagnetic storms were observed between Thursday and Friday.
Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are expected to continue into Monday, according to the NOAA’s three-day forecast, as the northern lights forecast weakens, but could still be visible in at least 10 states, later in the weekend.
The entirety of Alaska has a high likelihood of seeing the aurora, according to NOAA’s forecast. Other states within the red zone of NOAA’s forecast map, indicating a high likelihood of an aurora, include the northern tips of Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota. Other states with a lower chance include Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. The NOAA’s projected view line—the southernmost point at which the aurora is estimated to be visible, indicating the lowest chance of visibility—passes through Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Saturday night's northern lights forecast.
The lights are best viewed when it is dark outside, particularly between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, according to the NOAA. The agency recommends avoiding light pollution, finding the highest vantage point possible and traveling north.
National Geographic recommends using a wide-angle lens and a tripod for stability, as well as night mode, if the user has an iPhone. National Geographic also recommends using an aperture value of 4.0 or lower and adding details to the image by capturing trees, bodies of water or mountains to frame the picture.
The northern lights have been especially active over the past year because of heightened solar activity, including stronger instances of solar flares and geomagnetic storms. The sun is so active because it is currently in its “solar maximum,” the period in its 11-year cycle during which solar events like flares and storms are more common. NASA said the lights hit a 500-year peak last year, which it expects to continue through 2026 before decreasing. Some of the strongest solar flares in decades have been observed over the past year, including an X9.0-level flare in October, which caused northern lights to be visible as south as Florida.