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Aug 29, 2019 A geomagnetic storm will bring the northern lights further south this weekend. But seeing the aurora borealis isn't as simple as just looking up. Msn back to msn home weather.
Parts of the northern United States from Montana to northern New England could get a glimpse of the Northern Lights this weekend, space weather forecasters say.The Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, are a luminous and sometimes colorful display seen in the night sky. They occur when charged particles from the sun interact with gasses in Earth’s atmosphere. The best viewing times will be during the early hours of Saturday morning as the, although the aurora will begin on Friday evening.
The Northern Lights are set to continue into.According to the, the best time to watch for the Northern Lights is three or four hours around midnight, but the aurora can occur any time throughout a night.If you want to take pictures of the Northern Lights, your best bet will be using a camera capable of doing long exposures on a tripod with a wide-angle lens that has a fast aperture, like f/1.4 or f/2. Smartphones typically have a hard time capturing the aurora in all their glory.It’s difficult to predict exactly how strong an aurora show will be, or if one will happen at all.
However, the NOAA’s 30-minute forecast can give you some idea of when to get ready for a possible show. The shows the predicted intensity and location of the aurora based on current solar wind conditions.However, aurora sightings are never a guarantee, so don’t be bummed out if you don’t spot anything — maybe consider doing some while you’re out there. Where will the Northern Lights be visible?The Northern Lights could be visible this weekend in parts of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. On the East Coast, the Northern Lights may also be visible in parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Observers in other locations at roughly the same latitude could also see the aurora.
Updated 10:57 PM EST Dec 15, 2019
A solar storm is predicted this weekend, which means there might be some power grid fluctuations — and, if you are lucky, the Northern Lights might be visible in parts of Michigan.
You'll be able to look into the dark night, away from the city, and see the ethereal phenomenon known as the northern lights and aurora borealis.
Splashes of color — pinks, greens, yellows, blues, violets and occasionally oranges and whites — will dance among shimmering stars.
The best possibility of catching a glimpse of the lights is on Saturday, according to the Nation Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which monitors the atmosphere, and is forecasting a geomagnetic storm, also known as a solar storm.
The weather forecast throughout most of Michigan calls for sunny skies during the day Saturday and mostly clear skies that night, optimal for potential northern lights viewing.
The lights also might be visible Sunday, but less so.
Auroras occur when particles of plasma from the sun travel through space toward Earth and tend to be drawn to the poles, scientists say.
Usually, the northern lights are more visible in places like Alaska, Canada and Norway.
But, NOAA said, the geomagnetic storm could make them visible at lower latitudes, from Wisconsin to New York.
The lights also, according to scientific publications, are more common close to equinoxes, like now, when days and nights are the same length and more particles interact with the atmosphere.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or [email protected].
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![Northern lights this weekend+ct Northern lights this weekend+ct](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125662660/452705575.jpg)
Updated 10:57 PM EST Dec 15, 2019
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