TOLEDO, Ohio — If you missed the Northern Lights shows earlier this year, you may be in luck again: the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center wrote on their site another geomagnetic storm is possible Tuesday night.
According to the NOAA site, a G2-level (moderate) geomagnetic storm. This could cause the Aurora Borealis to reach a 6 on the Kp index between the hours of 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. EDT, with some lingering into the overnight hours.
How to view
If the aurora is visible at all, they will likely be difficult to see, and only visible on the horizon.
To view the Northern Lights, find an outdoor location away from bright city lights (they produce light pollution) and little to no obstructions on the horizon. Face north, and you may see faint dancing lights in the sky.
In addition to Tuesday, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center is also forecasting a G2 geomagnetic storm Thursday afternoon and into the evening, though it may be at its strongest before sunset, making it impossible to see.
A camera lens is far more capable of picking up the Aurora Borealis than the human eye; if you can't see anything, try taking a photo with a phone or camera and see if the lights appear in the photograph.
What are the Northern Lights?
Aurora occur when coronal mass ejections from the sun interact with Earth's magnetic field, producing a geomagnetic storm. It's uncommon for them to appear as far south as the Midwest, but it's not impossible: a display of the Northern Lights dazzled millions across the country in May when it was visible across a large majority of the northern hemisphere.
In early August, the Northern Lights coincided with the Persied Meteor Shower, making for a delightful celestial display.
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