How to Watch the Northern Lights from These 24 States Tonight

need to know

• According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a strong geomagnetic storm could trigger auroras in as many as 24 states across the United States from Monday, January 19 to early Tuesday, January 20.

• The Earth-facing coronal mass ejection produced by the X1.9 solar flare is expected to affect the Earth’s magnetic field and may trigger G3 to G4 storm conditions

• Clear skies after the new moon may have made the event particularly photogenic, with cameras capturing colors invisible to the naked eye

Look up, because the sky is about to put on a show!

If you’ve ever wanted to see (or photograph) the Northern Lights without leaving the United States, this might be your moment.

The Northern Lights are caused by geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright waves of light in the sky. However, their visibility depends on several factors, including intensity and location.

Intense solar activity in January’s dark winter skies set the stage for an unusual southward movement of the auroras tonight, January 19, into the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 20, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

This is not a subtle glow unique to the Arctic Circle. This is a rare, high-impact space weather event that could bring auroras to mid-latitudes when the night sky reaches its darkest point.

The Earth is bracing for an intense and potentially severe geomagnetic storm as charged solar particles slam into the Earth’s magnetic field, according to forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

trigger? The sun erupted with a massive X1.9-class solar flare, followed by a full-halo (CME) coronal mass ejection facing the Earth, which greatly increased the possibility of strong auroral activity.

This is one of those nights where space weather, lunar cycles and winter darkness combine to create something extraordinary.

Here are specific viewing times, where to watch, and information on how to make the most of this momentous event.

When are the Northern Lights visible?

The Northern Lights are expected to appear overnight on Monday, January 19, into early Tuesday, January 20, as the Earth is affected by a powerful geomagnetic storm.

Forecasters predict the storm will be a severe G3, with the potential to intensify to a G4 (severe) on NOAA’s five-level scale.

The activity is driven by a halo-wide coronal mass ejection (CME), a giant cloud of charged solar particles released from the sun in an X1.9-class solar flare on Sunday, January 18.

Since a coronal mass ejection is aimed at Earth, it has a greater chance of disrupting Earth’s magnetic field once it arrives. “Higher-level storms are possible as early as Monday, January 19,” according to NOAA.

Where can you see the Northern Lights?

If conditions peak as predicted, aurora could be seen in as many as 24 states in the United States, stretching from the Canadian border to the mid-latitudes.

The best opportunities for viewing are in the northern regions, including Alaska, northern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine.

However, if the storm reaches G3 intensity or higher, sightings could extend further south into Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire.

How to watch the Northern Lights?

Space weather is notoriously difficult to predict because everything depends on the speed and direction of the solar wind.

For real-time updates, be sure to monitor NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast, SpaceWeatherLive.com or an aurora tracking app such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast, SpaceWeatherLive or Glendale Aurora.

A key indicator is the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field. When Bz turns south, solar energy penetrates Earth’s magnetosphere more easily. A sustained southward Bz of -5 nanotesla or higher usually indicates an imminent aurora.

Dark skies will be particularly beneficial during this period because the event occurs after the new moon, meaning there will be little moonlight to interfere with visibility.

In the northern states of the United States, any auroras that occur are likely to produce low lights along the northern horizon.

How to take photos of the Northern Lights?

The best part about the Northern Lights is that you also get to make fun memories along the way. Your smartphone is more than enough too! All you have to do is go to settings, turn on Night mode And point your camera lens at the sky.

If you’re an experienced skywatcher and happen to own a DSLR or mirrorless camera, grab a tripod and set your camera to manual mode. Don’t forget to keep warm!

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