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Where to see the Aurora Borealis tonight

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Top line

Due to a strong geomagnetic storm, northern lights could again be visible on Friday in the continental United States in states such as New York, Wisconsin and Washington, which observers will then see as “quite bright and active.”

Key data

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has issued a geomagnetic storm warning for Friday caused by a coronal mass ejection — a burst of solar material — that occurred on Tuesday.

NOAA classified the geomagnetic storm as a “strong” G3 storm, meaning it has the potential to affect power grids, satellites and radio frequencies.

If the geomagnetic storm reaches Earth, the auroras could “become faintly visible on the horizon of the northern and northernmost Midwestern states,” according to NOAA.

Friday night’s aurora borealis previously had a Kp index of four before NOAA increased it to six, meaning the lights are moving farther from the poles and will appear “quite bright and active” to observers under the right viewing conditions.

Canada and Alaska have a better chance of seeing the lights, although the aurora forecast says they could be visible in parts of the continental U.S. into the weekend.

Solar activity has been unusually high in recent months as the 11-year solar cycle approaches its expected peak between late 2024 and early 2026. Over the next year, sunspots are expected to become stronger and likely trigger more geomagnetic storms.

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Where will the Northern Lights be visible tonight?

While it’s difficult to determine exactly where the lights will be seen, NOAA provides a forecast with a possible line of sight (see below). States within the line of sight include Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and parts of New York, Vermont, and Maine.

What is the best way to see the Northern Lights?

The lights are most active between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. For the best view of the Northern Lights, NOAA recommends traveling as close to the poles as possible, avoiding city lights and other light pollution, monitoring weather forecasts for optimal viewing conditions, and finding a vantage point such as a hill. Smartphone cameras are sensitive enough to see the Northern Lights even when they are not visible to the naked eye. Visit Iceland, a tourism website for Iceland where the lights are often visible, recommends turning on night mode to increase the exposure of your smartphone camera.

Important background

An event called Solar Cycle 25 — the cycle the sun goes through about every 11 years — has been the cause of geomagnetic storms that have recently led to sightings of the Northern Lights, and NASA predicts that will continue into next year. Cycle 25 began in December 2019 and is expected to peak between late 2024 and early 2026 — when activity will be at its peak. It is expected to peak at 115 sunspots, where geomagnetic storms originate. Although the maximum has not yet been reached, solar activity has been stronger than scientists expected, so it’s possible there will be even more geomagnetic storms between now and 2026, although it’s difficult to predict exactly when the storms will occur.

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