Aurora Borealis Should Strengthen in Northern US Over the Weekend – CNET

The northern lights display should continue well into the weekend, possibly reaching down into the middle parts of the country.
The aurora borealis fills the sky with vibrant colors near Krasnoyarsk, Russia, in January 2025.Ready for a nighttime skygazing excursion? Another display of the aurora borealis is coming, and people living in the northern part of the US should be able to see it, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The aurora is thanks to a coronal mass ejection that occurred on Jan. 22. NASA says the coronal mass ejection was an M5.5 class flare and it was ejected in a trajectory that puts it on a collision course with Earth. The resulting impact should take place over three days, if not longer, and progressively push the northern lights further into the US each day. Read more: Check Out These Breathtaking Northern Lights Photos From Aurora WatchersNOAA is forecasting a G2-level geomagnetic storm, categorized as a “moderate” storm. While this isn’t dangerous for people, it may be strong enough to disrupt some radio activity.NASA observed a coronal mass ejection from the right side of the sun. NOAA forecasts that Washington state, Montana, Minnesota and North Dakota will have the best views, with parts of Idaho, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota and Maine getting at least some of the show. On the evening of Jan. 24, the aurora will be stronger and visible in parts of Wyoming, northern Iowa, northern New York state, Vermont and New Hampshire. The strongest part of the storm is forecast for the earliest hours of Jan. 25. The aurora borealis should then begin tapering off on the evening of Jan. 25 going into Jan. 26. These are forecasts, though, and are subject to change as more data becomes available. Read More: Why Are There So Many Aurora Borealis Displays These Days?The aurora borealis is notoriously difficult to see the further south you go. And even in the north, people in the city and suburbs likely won’t see it at all due to light pollution. If you want the best chance of seeing it, your first step is to get out of the city entirely and hope that the skies are clear. There is also a neat camera trick available on most newer smartphones. If you use the phone’s Night Mode, it increases the exposure time, allowing the phone to bring in more light. So if the aurora is visible in the sky where you are, this will make the aurora visible, although you likely won’t get those gorgeous high-definition shots like they get on the International Space Station.

Source: https://www.cnet.com/science/aurora-borealis-to-light-up-the-northern-us-for-the-next-few-nights/