Topline
After a strong solar flare on Monday and geomagnetic storm activity over the weekend, Tuesday evening could be the last time the US will witness the Northern Lights this week, although they won’t be as intense as May’s dazzling auroras.
The Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, can be seen in the sky above Kiruna … [+]
Key facts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned of moderate solar activity on Tuesday, meaning there is a chance to see the Northern Lights again on Tuesday evening.
Tuesday night’s geomagnetic storm is expected to have a Kp index of three, meaning the lights will move farther from the poles and appear brighter to observers, according to NOAA, but since Wednesday night’s expected Kp index is only one, this could be the last night to view the northern lights this week.
This comes after a warning on Friday of a G2 geomagnetic storm, which caused the Northern Lights to become visible in parts of the US this weekend due to moderately intense disruptions to Earth’s magnetic field.
Solar activity has been unusually busy in recent months as the sun’s 11-year solar cycle approaches its expected peak in July 2025, with sunspots expected to increase over the coming year and likely to produce more geomagnetic storms.
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Where will the Northern Lights be visible tonight?
Although it is notoriously difficult to predict where the Northern Lights will be visible, they may be the most visible Tuesday evening in Canada and Alaska, according to NOAA. However, other US states within the aurora’s line of sight include the northernmost parts of Washington and Idaho, much of Montana and North Dakota, and northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
The line of sight of the Aurora Borealis on Tuesday evening.
What is the best way to see the Northern Lights?
The lights are most active between 10pm and 2am. For the best view of the Northern Lights, the agency recommends traveling as close to the poles as possible, avoiding city lights and other light pollution, checking the weather forecast for optimal viewing conditions and positioning yourself at a vantage point such as a hilltop. Smartphone cameras are sensitive enough to catch the aurora even if it is invisible to the naked eye. Visit Iceland, a tourism website for Iceland, where the lights are often visible, advises that turning on night mode is best to increase the smartphone camera’s exposure.
Surprising fact
A strong S3 solar radiation storm that occurred Saturday was the strongest storm of its kind since September 2017, according to NOAA. The storm peaked after a “significant” solar flare, an intense burst of radiation caused by the release of magnetic energy from sunspots. Storms of this magnitude can disrupt space satellites and solar launches, as well as disrupt shortwave radio signals. The solar flare came from the region of the Sun called AR3667 (formerly known as AR3664 in May) – the same sunspot that produced the intense aurora borealis in May. AR3667 fired off an even stronger burst on Monday, which could also contribute to more sightings of the Northern Lights. However, as this part of the Sun is expected to rotate out of view over the next few days, solar activity is expected to decrease to approximately moderate and minor levels.
Important background
An event called Solar Cycle 25 – the cycle the sun goes through about every eleven years – has been the cause of geomagnetic storms that have resulted in recent sightings of the Northern Lights, and NASA predicts this will continue into next year. Cycle 25 began in December 2019 and is estimated to reach its maximum – when activity is expected to peak – in July 2025. It is expected to peak with 115 sunspots, where geomagnetic storms form. Although the maximum has not yet been reached, the sun’s activity has been busier than scientists expected, so it is possible that there will be more geomagnetic storms in the run-up to 2025, although it is difficult to predict exactly when these storms will occur. will take place.