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More than a dozen states in the northern U.S. will have an opportunity to observe the northern lights on Friday following a period of geomagnetic storms, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA forecast a Kp index of five on a scale of nine for Friday night, suggesting the northern lights may be visible as far south as northern Iowa.
Friday night’s auroral forecast comes amid expectations for minor geomagnetic storms, as high-speed winds from a cooler, less dense spot on the sun’s surface are projected to disrupt Earth’s geomagnetic field, according to NOAA.
Similar auroral activity is expected Saturday night and early Sunday morning, according to NOAA’s three-day outlook, as some minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are expected after a coronal mass ejection left the sun’s surface on Sept. 4.
There’s a higher chance of viewing the northern lights across northern Canada and Alaska, where the phenomenon will likely be visible once the sun sets in the state. A lesser, yet still possible chance is forecast across parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. (See map below.)
The northern lights are best seen during the winter, though the displays can be seen throughout the year depending on solar activity. NOAA recommends traveling to a north-facing, high vantage point away from light pollution to see the northern lights, which peak between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
With a regular camera, photography experts suggest using a wide-angle lens, an aperture or F-stop of four or less and a focus set to the furthest possible setting. If using a smartphone, NOAA recommends enabling night mode, disabling flash and relying on a tripod to stabilize the image.
Increased solar activity is expected to persist into early 2026, meaning the northern lights will continue to be more visible as more solar flares and coronal mass ejections leave the sun’s surface, according to NOAA and NASA. These events are largely responsible for producing auroral displays, as their electrons become “excited” after colliding with oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing them to release energy in the form of swirling, colorful lights. Scientists said the strongest northern lights displays in 500 years were produced over Earth’s night sky last year, as aurora borealis was seen as far south as Texas, California and Florida.