How to Watch the Northern Lights from 22 States Tonight

On the heels of Thursday’s partial lunar eclipse and round of auroras, the northern lights could make another dazzling cameo across parts of the northern U.S. overnight Friday, Aug. 28 and into Saturday, Aug. 29. Here’s everything you need to know about this stellar event.

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NEED TO KNOW

A geomagnetic storm could push the northern lights as far south as states like New York and Pennsylvania

The best viewing times are after dark Friday, Aug. 28 through early Saturday, Aug. 29

Dark skies and smartphone night mode can help capture faint auroras not visible to the naked eye

After an action-packed week of stellar events, the cosmos continues to put on a show!

Right on the heels of the partial lunar eclipse and round of auroras on Thursday, Aug. 27, the northern lights could make another dazzling cameo across parts of the northern U.S. starting on the evening of Friday, Aug. 28.

NOAA forecasters predict a high-speed stream of solar wind, combined with material from coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched earlier this week, could disturb Earth’s magnetic field enough to produce a G2, or moderate, geomagnetic storm.

This could push auroras farther south than usual, potentially adorning the sky with faint green or reddish hues.

For reference, the northern lights (aurora borealis) are a result of geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating brilliant waves of light in the sky. Still, their visibility depends on several factors, including intensity and location.

Aurora forecasts are famously fickle, and the bright Sturgeon Moon could wash out the more subtle northern lights displays.

In the meantime, read on for everything you need to know about this stellar event.

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When will the northern lights be visible?

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Are you ready to feast your eyes on this cosmic spectacle?

The best opportunity for viewing arrives after dark on Friday, Aug. 28, through the early hours of Saturday, Aug. 29.

Still, there’s no guaranteed peak viewing time, because the strength and timing of a CME can only be confirmed as it approaches Earth. That said, be sure to head outside once skies are fully dark, and continue to check conditions throughout the night.

Where will the northern lights be visible?

Could this be your lucky night, skywatchers?

If you’re wondering whether or not the northern lights will be visible from your location, the strongest odds belong to Alaska and dark locations across northern U.S. states such as Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

However, if conditions reach the G2 level, the aurora could stretch farther south, with NOAA noting that displays have been previously spotted as low as New York during storms of this strength. States like Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania could also catch a glimpse.

Locations beyond the main auroral zone could capture faint color through a smartphone’s night mode, even when little is visible to the naked eye.

How to watch the northern lights?

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Get away from city lights!Auroras are surprisingly faint to the naked eye at first, especially during weaker geomagnetic storms, so dark skies make a huge difference.

Patience matters, too! After all, auroral activity can fluctuate quickly, sometimes appearing as a faint glow before suddenly erupting into visible ribbons or waves of green light. Remember to also keep tabs on real-time conditions using NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast and space-weather apps that track solar wind and magnetic field changes.

How to photograph the northern lights?

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Did you know that your smartphone camera might actually capture the aurora better than your eyes can during weaker storms?If you’re using a smartphone, switch to night mode or long exposure mode and hold the camera as still as possible — ideally with a tripod or by propping it against something stable. You’ll want to keep your setup as steady as possible, since the auroras are best captured with long exposures.

All you have to do is head to your device’s settings and tap the “night mode” option or “pro mode,” which offers similar exposure times.

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