(News Nation) — People in southern New York and Idaho Get a chance to see the Northern Lights The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a geomagnetic storm this weekend.
The predicted storm follows a coronal mass ejection on August 1, which occurs when plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun are ejected toward Earth. Electrically charged ions collide with Earth’s atmosphere, triggering a geomagnetic storm. Colorful dancing lights It is usually only found in more northern areas.
The storm isn’t expected to be as strong as the one that hit in early May, but it will provide some unusual scenery for people in Southern North Carolina. AuroraStill, there’s a chance the aurora could move further south than usual.
In addition to the light, Geomagnetic storm They can also interfere with satellites, potentially causing disruptions to power grids and GPS.
This year’s aurora The sun approaches the summit Solar activity typically increases at this time of the 11-year cycle, but this year has been exceptionally active, with May’s geomagnetic storm being the most powerful in the past 20 years.
Like weather on Earth, space weather is difficult to predict, so astronomers rely on NOAA’s Aurora Forecast For more information on where you can expect to see the light, click here.
To maximize your chances of seeing dancing colors, head outside close to midnight and get as far away from light pollution as possible. Mobile phone camera It may help you capture more color and light than you can see with the naked eye.
