A handful of northern states will have a chance to see the northern lights Monday night, as forecasters have predicted mild auroral activity over much of Canada stretching into the U.S.
Monday's forecast calls for mild auroral activity. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a Kp index of three on Monday night, meaning the northern lights can be “pleasing to look at” if viewers are in the right place.
The curved viewing line for the northern lights stretches south down to the border of North Dakota and South Dakota, with viewers’ chances of seeing the natural phenomenon increasing the farther north of the line they are.
Tuesday’s aurora forecast is much less favorable than Monday’s, with space meteorologists forecasting a reduced Kp index of two and a viewing line largely outside the contiguous U.S. tomorrow night.
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Areas with a low likelihood of seeing the northern lights include the northeastern tip of Washington, the northern tip of Idaho, northern Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, Michigan’s upper peninsula and the northern tip of Maine. Much of Alaska and Canada will have better chances of seeing the northern lights.
Monday night's viewing line.
Observers should try and catch a glimpse of the lights between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., preferably from high vantage points. Areas with clear skies and little to no light pollution can increase visibility.
Smartphone users should utilize night mode when snapping photos of the northern lights and are recommended to use tripods, according to National Geographic. Wide-angle lenses, wide apertures and high ISO values can help photograph aurora borealis as well.
A “solar maximum” was reached on the sun’s surface last year, marking an increase of solar events like solar flares or coronal mass ejections and triggering a 500-year peak for northern lights activity. NASA has said the jump in auroral activity could last into early next year. Last week, prior to a strong northern lights forecast, a solar flare erupted from the sun and caused radio blackouts.
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