Northern Lights Expected To Be Seen In 17 States This Week
Usually, when you hear about the Northern Lights you think of Alaska or Iceland but this week they are expected to be visible in 17 different states!
On Thursday, an 11-year solar cycle that’s expected to peak in 2024 is making the lights visible in places farther south. Unfortunately, not south enough to be North Carolina or South Carolina but still…closer than normal!
If you don’t know what creates the beautiful phenomenon it’s when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and causes atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow. The Northern Lights are also known as aurora borealis.
The states where they are expected to make an appearance: Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.
If you’re wanting to take a quick road trip to Maryland (that’s probably the closest to the Carolinas) then they are recommending getting away from city lights. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, the best viewing times are between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
