Topline
The northern lights may be visible along a stretch of northern states Tuesday night, and a recent solar flare could heavily disrupt radio frequencies this week, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast.
Radio blackouts are likely after an eruption of energy from the sun’s surface, forecasters said.
Key Facts
NOAA forecast a Kp index of three on a scale of nine for Tuesday, meaning the northern lights will be pulled further from the North Pole and be “quite pleasing to look at” for those in the right areas.
There is a high chance for minor to moderate radio blackouts through Thursday, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast, though there’s potential for a “strong” disruption event disrupting low-frequency navigation signals and resulting in a loss of radio contact.
The radio blackout warning was issued after an X2.2 solar flare—classified by NASA as the most intense—on Dec. 8 that coincided with a coronal mass ejection, an event on the sun’s surface associated with an increase in auroral activity, though it’s not immediately clear whether it will affect Earth.
The coronal mass ejection is being analyzed to determine whether any warnings, forecasts or watches will be issued, NOAA said.
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Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible?
Most of northern Canada and Alaska will have a low chance of viewing the northern lights, with a view line—indicating a minimal opportunity of seeing the phenomenon—dipping below the Canadian border. Parts of northern Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota have a low likelihood, while areas in northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, northeastern South Dakota, northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan have an even lower chance. (See view line below.)
Tuesday night’s view line.
What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?
The northern lights can be seen from as far as 620 miles away if conditions are optimal, according to NOAA. Auroral activity is best seen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time while at a high vantage point away from light pollution, the agency said.
What’s The Best Way To Photograph The Northern Lights?
If using a regular camera, the northern lights are best captured with a wide-angle lens, high ISO value and focus set to the farthest possible setting, according to National Geographic. A smartphone can capture the event if night mode is enabled, even if the auroral borealis isn’t visible to the naked eye.
Key Background
The northern lights, a colorful display of swirling lights in the night sky, are triggered by activity on the sun’s surface. These displays are the result of eruptions of electromagnetic radiation, or solar flares, and bubbles of plasma that often burst along with those flares, or coronal mass ejections. Electrons from these events interact with the oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s atmosphere, causing atoms and molecules of these gases to become “excited” before releasing small bursts of energy in the form of light. A cycle of activity on the sun’s surface, measured over 11 years, has reached a “solar maximum,” according to NASA, causing auroral activity to be seen as far south as Texas. Solar activity gradually increases and decreases, achieving a “solar maximum” and a “solar minimum.” This maximum results in “great blooms” of solar radiation, often causing radio blackouts to sun-lit areas on Earth. Scientists are still studying activity on the sun’s surface, including why the sun’s outer atmosphere is hotter than its surface and coronal mass ejections. The European Space Agency recently launched a pair of satellites to create artificial solar eclipses for up to six hours at a time, allowing scientists to observe the sun’s corona over longer periods.
Surprising Fact
The strongest flare released during the sun’s 11-year cycle is an X9.0 flare on Oct. 3, according to NOAA. That event coincided with another coronal mass ejection, causing forecasters to warn of a “severe” geomagnetic storm over the following week. NOAA forecast a Kp index as high as seven during that period, with auroral activity seen as far south as Kansas.
