Northern Lights Illuminate Sky Across 22 States Tonight
A powerful geomagnetic storm is set to light up the skies for stargazers in New York and many other states tonight, offering a spectacular display of the northern lights.
Solar Flare and Coronal Mass Ejection Details
On November 5, a strong M7.4 solar flare erupted from the sun, releasing a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). This CME, a burst of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s outer layer, was traveling at speeds between 2.5 and 3.1 million miles per hour, according to Space.com.
Expected Impact on Earth’s Sky
The CME is forecasted to reach Earth late on November 6 or early November 7, potentially sparking intense G3 geomagnetic storm conditions as reported by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
“Watches have been issued for these times with moderate to high confidence in timing, and moderate confidence in magnitude,” NOAA writes.
If the CME hits as expected, it may enhance the auroras from the polar regions down to the US Midwest, creating excellent conditions for viewing the Northern Lights.
Expert Excitement
“A whole train of big #solarstorms are on their way, along with some smaller storms hitting now, and some fast solar wind!” said space weather physicist Tamitha Skov on X. “It is an #aurora photographer’s dream starting now and lasting at least through the weekend.”
States Affected
- States across the US, including New York and parts of the Midwest, are expected to witness the light show.
- Overall, northern lights could be visible across 22 states.
This event offers a rare opportunity for many to experience the beauty of the aurora borealis far from the usual polar regions.
Author’s Summary
This powerful solar storm will illuminate the skies across 22 US states, creating prime conditions for viewing the northern lights through the weekend.