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Here’s Where To See The Northern Lights Tonight

September 5, 2024

Topline

A number of states in the northern U.S. may be able to see the northern lights Wednesday and Thursday nights, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This April 12, 2012 file photo shows the northern lights near an observatory outside Fairbanks, … [+] Alaska. The forecasts for the northern lights on Wednesday and Thursday are nearly identical and show some northern U.S. states may be able to catch a glimpse.

AP2012

Key Facts

The aurora borealis forecast for Wednesday night has a Kp index of three on a scale of nine, meaning there may be brighter lights and “more auroral activity” like formations and motion that can be seen if you are in the right place, according to NOAA.

Thursday night’s forecast has nearly the same Kp index and view line as Wednesday, meaning the lights may be visible to those in states like Montana and North Dakota two nights in a row.

The appearance of the northern lights are a result of geomagnetic activity, which can result in the collision of ions with Earth’s atmospheric gasses and create auroral displays.

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What States Will The Northern Lights Be Visible From?

NOAA predicted the northern lights may be visible from parts of northeast Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Michigan on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Space Weather Prediction Center’s forecast for the aurora borealis view line on Wednesday.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

What’s The Best Way To See The Northern Lights?

The northern lights are best seen between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time and in dark locations away from city lights. If you have a good vantage point, like being atop a hill with an unobstructed view looking north, auroral displays can be seen even with relatively low geomagnetic activity, like a Kp index of three.

Key Background

The northern lights have been visible in the U.S. frequently since about May because of very active sunspots that have led to solar flares and coronal mass ejections, producing strong geomagnetic storm conditions. Last month people could see the perseid meteor shower—which peaked in early August—alongside the northern lights. The meteor shower saw shooting stars darting across the sky and experts predicted viewers could see more than 50 meteors an hour, according to the American Meteor Society.

What To Watch For

What the geomagnetic activity and likelihood of seeing the northern lights are later this month. Experts say the best times to see the lights are around the spring and fall equinoxes because of the way solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere to create larger geomagnetic storms. The fall equinox this year is Sept. 22.