After Arizona was treated to a Northern Lights show in May, many stargazers and those who missed the spectacle are wondering when the aurora will be visible again.
Forecasters have their eyes on a cluster of sunspots responsible for the spectacular nationwide aurora display on May 10, which rolled back into Earth’s view. That may create the conditions for a new spectacle, according to the federal Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
However, top experts say it’s too early to confirm whether these sunspots will trigger the solar storms that could trigger auroras here on Earth.
Here’s what you need to know about your next chance to see the Northern Lights and how to view them in Arizona.
When will the Northern Lights be visible in the United States?
Shawn Dahl, a senior forecaster at the Space Weather Prediction Center, said that although the sunspot group known as Region 3697 has now orbited back toward Earth, it is still too early to say whether it will emit another coronal mass ejection which could cause solar storms and solar storms. auroras.
“We predict things from 93 million miles away, so it’s very difficult. And our science is limited,” Dahl said. “We can do an excellent job of predicting how likely the eruption is to occur, and if so, what level it might reach, and the same goes for radiation storms, but we have no way of knowing whether an eruption is imminent.” does not exist. And we don’t have the science to know when a CME from the Sun will explode. We have to wait for them to happen.
Will the Northern Lights be visible in Arizona?
Maybe. The sunspot group responsible for the vibrant auroras of mid-May has returned to Earth, but forecasters are still unsure whether it will lead to auroras. It will all depend on whether or not the Sun belches a solar flare or coronal mass ejection toward Earth, causing the geomagnetic storms and thus the aurora.
The strength of the storms would also impact viewing in Arizona. The aurora is stronger and more visible further north, so the solar flares or coronal mass ejections must be stronger to be seen further south.
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Why it is so difficult to predict space weather
When exactly will the Northern Lights appear again? Conditions are primed for more aurora shows in the coming years, but experts say even the best predictions can only be made accurately a few days or even hours in advance.
Unlike weather on Earth, scientists predicting space weather – which includes the aurora – must rely on observations of the sun, 93 million miles away, to make their predictions.
“There are so many uncertainties that it’s hard to predict,” Bill Murtagh, program coordinator at the Space Weather Prediction Center, told USA TODAY last year.
Northern Lights in Arizona
It is not unheard of to see the Northern Lights in Arizona. Following sightings in 2023, Arizonans were treated to a particularly vibrant celestial light show in mid-May.
The pink and purple beams, created by a series of coronal mass ejections from the sun that created geomagnetic storms that produce auroras, were visible across the state to those who found a dark spot and looked at the right time.
Arizonans who want to see the storms should consider these tips:
- Go to a dark place for optimal visibility. To see the aurora, it is essential that you are in an area with minimal light pollution. Several cities in Arizona were voted the best places for stargazing in the US and are said to be optimal places to view the aurora.
- Look north. It may seem obvious, but you have to look north to see the lights.
- Try to look for auroras between 10 PM and 2 AM The aurorae are usually at their strongest during this time, although they can be visible in the evening and early morning hours.
USA TODAY reporters Doyle Rice, Jeanine Santucci and Trevor Hughes contributed to this article.