TOLEDO, Ohio — A dazzling display of the Northern Lights is possible later this week after a series of solar eruptions and massive solar flares that has been detected by the Space Weather Prediction Center.
On Oct. 1, a strong (R3) solar flare erupted from the Active Region 3842 on the sun. To date, this was the second strongest solar flare so far in the Solar Cycle 25.
Then on Thursday morning, Oct. 3, another massive X9.0 class solar flare erupted at 8:18 am. This is the most intense solar flare since 2017! This again came from earth facing Active Region 3842 and has been determined to have another very large Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) headed earthbound.
Many remember the strong solar activity this past spring in May when a very strong X8.7 solar flare was detected on May 14. This flare did not feature a strong Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). Both of these latest solar flares are expected to have an Earth-directed CME, which upon arrival, would interact with the Earth's outermost atmosphere, exciting the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights.
A strong (G3) geomagnetic storm is expected to peak Friday night and continue into Saturday night. Clear skies and a new moon will be nearly perfect for many in the United States from the Great Lakes to the Northern Plains for viewing.
There may be an opportunity to view the Northern Lights activity in three waves:
Thursday Night: A very unlikely chance.
Friday Night: A slightly higher chance. The highest activity may be from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday Night: The greatest chance. Peak activity may happen at any point in the evening or overnight.
Having a clear view of the northern skies, away from city and outdoor lights, will be essential in having the chance to view this spectacle.
Allow some time for your eyes to adjust to the natural darkness. It is also worth stating that using a long exposure camera or phone camera can capture and enhance the more vivid colors of the Northern Lights.
Use the camera on your phone to help locate and detect some of the fainter Northern Lights that may show lower or dimmer on the horizon.
If the current forecast holds, a Kp Index of 7 is in the forecast and expected to peak Friday evening. This has been known to send views of the Northern Lights across Michigan and south to the Ohio River.
Stay tuned, the WTOL 11 weather team will continue to post updates and monitor the skies that are anticipated to remain mainly clear.