It’s a busy start to the year for skygazers. There’s a supermoon coming on Jan. 3, the same day as the peak of the Quadrantids meteor shower. Tonight, meanwhile, the aurora borealis is predicted to make an appearance. If you don’t mind the cold this weekend, you’ll have plenty to look at outdoors on Friday and Saturday night.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, tonight’s aurora — aka the northern lights — arises from a G2 magnetic storm, which tends to push the aurora borealis into the northern third of the United States. The height of the storm is expected late Friday and early Saturday, just after midnight. It’ll taper off as sunrise approaches.
This aurora is heading to Earth because of a coronal mass ejection, a cloud of plasma and other solar materials ejected from the sun, on New Year’s Day. The CME was classified as a C6-level flare, which isn’t particularly strong, but it is traveling right at Earth. Once it gets here, the solar material will interact with the Earth’s geomagnetic field, which is what causes the northern lights to appear.
NOAA predicts that the upper third of the US will get to see the northern lights tonight.
The states expected to get the best view of the aurora include Alaska, Washington, the northern tip of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Eagle-eyed viewers with a good vantage point should be able to see it in Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Depending on the strength, people in northern portions of Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania may also see it.
Since the aurora borealis is much like regular Earth weather, the storm may be weaker or stronger than predicted, so even if you’re just south of NOAA’s predicted view line, keep an eye on your local news in case the geomagnetic storm is stronger than expected, which will push the aurora even further south.
Viewing tips for the aurora borealis
To get a good look at the northern lights, follow the same general viewing tips as for any other nighttime skygazing. You’ll want to get as far away from the city and suburbs as possible to reduce light pollution. People who reside in states that rest against the Canadian border can look upward as the aurora will stretch that far. People on the southern reaches of NOAA’s predicted viewing area will have their best chances by seeking an elevated position and looking northward. The higher you can get, the better your chances.
Should you decide to take part in the celestial festivities, keep an eye out for the Quadrantids meteor shower and the supermoon as well. Depending on where you live, you might get to see all three events at once, which would make for a nice evening of skygazing.
