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Minor geomagnetic storms are expected to produce a strong northern lights display on Wednesday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s latest forecast.
The northern lights may be visible in more than a dozen states Wednesday night. (Photo by Andrew ... More
Wednesday’s northern lights forecast has a Kp index of 5 on a scale of 0 to 9 according to NOAA’s forecast, indicating “more auroral activity” that can be “quite pleasing to look at” from a good vantage point.
The potentially strong lights show is bolstered by minor-to-moderate geomagnetic storming, which is expected to last into Thursday, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast.
NOAA previously projected solar wind would escape from the sun’s surface on Wednesday at high speeds, known as “high speed streams,” resulting in “escalated geomagnetic activity” when the winds arrive at Earth.
Thursday’s northern lights forecast is expected to be similarly strong, with auroras expected to be visible in about a dozen states.
Alaska, where the sun is expected to set late in the evening, should have a strong chance once the sun goes down, according to NOAA’s forecast. Other states with strong chances to see the lights include Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. States along the “view line,” the expected southernmost view point of the lights, include Iowa, New York, New Hampshire and Maine.
Wednesday night's northern lights forecast.
NOAA says the best time to view the lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. To get a good view, the agency recommends avoiding light pollution, finding a high vantage point and traveling as far north as possible.
A travel photographer writing for National Geographic recommends using a wide-angle lens and a tripod for stability, as well as night mode, if the user has an iPhone. Other tactics include using aperture value of 4.0 or lower and adding details to the image by capturing trees, bodies of water or mountains.
The northern lights have been especially active over the past year because the sun is in a period of heightened solar activity, known as its “solar maximum.” The solar maximum occurs at the peak of its 11-year cycle, during which geomagnetic storming and other solar events are more common. But this solar maximum has exceeded even scientists’ expectations, and NASA estimated the auroras have hit a 500-year peak. NASA said the strong aurora displays will continue until about 2026, at which point solar activity will begin to decline. On some occasions, the lights have been visible as far south as Florida, like when the sun produced an X9.0-level flare in October.