If you missed the Aurora Borealis in May earlier this year, you’re in luck: the Sun is about to provide another chance to see the Aurora.
On August 30th, the Sun produced an M2.7 flare, which sent a stream of charged particles flying towards the Earth. Those particles will reach the Earth beginning on September 1st and could trigger Aurora Borealis through September 2nd as the storm passes the planet.
Who Will Be Able To See the Aurora This Week?
There is a good chance that the Aurora Borealis could be visible as far south as states like Pennsylvania and Oregon, and anyone north of those states will almost definitely see something, weather cooperating.
Of course, there is always a bit of uncertainty about the exact strength of these events, so anyone living at or above 40 degrees north should definitely take a look at the sky if they’re able—you may get a pleasant surprise!
Why Do Auroras Happen?
Auroras occur when charged, energetic particles released by the Sun are funneled towards the Earth’s poles by the planet’s magnetic field, where they crash into gases in the upper atmosphere. As the gas and the charged particles interact, the electrons orbiting the atoms become temporarily excited before releasing a photon, which creates the light we see. In many ways, it is similar to how a florescent light works.
Is a Coronal Mass Ejection That Causes Aurora Dangerous?
Coronal Mass Ejections, or CMEs, can sometimes cause damage to electronics in space or even on the surface of the planet, depending on the intensity, but the CME from August 30th doesn’t pose a significant threat.
The CME witnessed on August 30th was of moderate intensity, and NOAA predicts it is strong enough to trigger a G3 geomagnetic storm at its peak. There is a small chance that it could reach G4. That means the aurora will be visible further from the Earth’s poles than normal. Additionally, G3 storms can cause temporary disruptions to some wireless communication systems, cause fluctuations in the power grid, and may interfere with satellite communications.
However, all of those problems are going to be minor and temporary.
The Aurora can be pretty subtle, especially if you’re contending with a lot of light pollution. If you’re going to try to see it, remember to look north; you’ll have a better chance of picking it up. At a minimum, try to block out major lights in your immediate area and don’t look at your phone to let your vision adjust. If you can, travel somewhere darker, where it’ll be easier to see.
If you want to photograph it, your average smartphone is probably up to the task these days. Even the regular low-light photography mode (called night shot or night mode) is enough. If you try astrophotography mode, you’ll likely lose a lot of the ribbon-like details due to the length of the exposure.
