The Northern Lights Could Illuminate the Sky Thursday Night
Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies: the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) forecasts a strong geomagnetic storm that might bring the northern lights.
How the Northern Lights Occur
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, typically appear after a powerful solar flare. During such flares, the sun’s magnetic fields become tangled and suddenly snap, releasing intense radiation bursts that can interfere with high-frequency radio signals on Earth.
Following the flare is a coronal mass ejection (CME), a rapid stream of solar particles propelled by the solar wind. When Earth lies in the path of a CME, these particles interact with our magnetic field and atmospheric molecules, creating a stunning light display in the sky.
Recent Solar Activity
- Three CMEs erupted over the past two days.
- Two of these are expected to deliver only glancing impacts to Earth.
- The third CME, released Wednesday, is aimed directly at Earth, says the SWPC.
The glancing blows might have caused the northern lights to be visible as far south as Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Storm Strength and Predictions
The SWPC is currently calling for a G3 geomagnetic storm, which is strong on their G1 to G5 scale. However, predicting these storms remains challenging.
“These storms are difficult to predict.”
Stay tuned and hope for clear skies to catch this natural spectacle.
Author’s Conclusion
The strong geomagnetic storm predicted by the SWPC could light up skies with northern lights, but clear weather is essential to enjoy this rare display.