Topline
Saturday night will bring several U.S. states a chance at seeing the northern lights, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is anticipating some of the highest auroral activity in recent weeks by tonight.
Aurora Borealis in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
NOAA has issued a Kp index of five for Saturday, a designation that calls for a “moderate aurora” that “can be quite pleasing to look at” for viewers in the right areas.
The curved viewing line for Saturday nearly touches the border between South Dakota and Nebraska, as chances of seeing the northern lights increase the farther north people are of the line.
Sunday’s northern lights forecast is not nearly as strong as Saturday’s, with NOAA issuing a Kp index of three and a viewing line at the North Dakota-South Dakota borders.
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Saturday’s viewing line includes states and areas like Alaska, Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, the northern edge of Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, the northern edge of Iowa, Michigan, the northern edges of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Saturday's viewing line.
Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. is generally considered the best window of time to catch a view of the northern lights. To increase your chances at seeing aurora borealis, try viewing from areas with little to no light pollution and clear skies. Vantage points can also increase chances of seeing the lights.
Smartphone users should use night mode and avoid using flash if they want to photograph the northern lights, while people with traditional cameras should use low apertures while shooting. Wide-angle lenses and tripods can also help capture good images.
The northern lights have been active in the U.S. for over a year now, benefiting from the peak of the sun’s 11-year solar cycle, which generates coronal mass ejections and solar flares that contribute to higher auroral activity. NASA forecasts say the lights will remain active into next year and eventually decrease in strength as the solar cycle moves forward.