The New York City skyline might just glow a bit more brightly tonight.
The Northern Lights are set to be visible in 15 states, including New York, as a result of a surge in solar winds.
From overnight August 18th to 19th, minor geomagnetic storms could give rise to stunning displays. States like Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, South Dakota, Vermont, New Hampshire, Idaho, Washington, and Wyoming may all get a glimpse.
For the best views, it’s recommended to look between 11 PM and 5 AM local time.
You don’t even need to be right underneath the aurora; these lights can be seen from as far as 600 miles away.
To catch the best show, experts advise finding a dark spot far from city lights, ideally facing north around midnight to 2 AM.
And the good news? No special gear is needed—just look up! For those wanting to document the moment, using “night mode” on a smartphone should suffice for capturing some decent photos.
If you’re not a night owl, there’s still time. Researchers at NOAA suggest the spectacle could continue until August 20th.
The aurora, or Aurora Borealis, occurs when charged particles from the sun, known as solar wind, collide with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.
As these particles drift toward the poles, they interact with gases like oxygen and nitrogen, causing them to emit light.
The colors of the aurora depend on the type of gas and altitude; green is the most frequent, whereas red and purple are less common. Intense geomagnetic storms, often triggered by solar flares, can amplify these displays, allowing the northern lights to be visible even further south.
Tonight’s aurora is expected to show a moderate intensity.
Earlier this month, NASA astronaut Anne McClain filmed a stunning view of the aurora from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. She shared her excitement about how it illuminated the scene and even captured satellite movements.
She remarked on how the aurora seemed to creep along the edge of the atmosphere, adding this sighting to her bucket list for future Earth-bound viewing.
