The Fourth of July holiday will bring explosive light shows on Friday night, but many folks will see much quieter and calmer lights in the sky tonight, as recent solar activity will continue to bring the Aurora Borealis to several US states.
Wednesday night marks the winding down of a Kp 4 magnetic storm that the Space Weather Prediction Center reported starting late Monday evening. The K-Index measures the horizontal impact of geomagnetic storms, and a Kp4 or Kp 5 rating results in what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration calls a “moderate” aurora.
As Wednesday night turns into Thursday morning, the aurora will pull back a little and become less visible, unless you’re on the northern border with Canada.
NOAA maps show that aurora lights will be visible in the most northern parts of the US on Wednesday.
Which states could see the aurora borealis tonight?
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, Wednesday night’s aurora will be visible in Alaska, Washington state, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. The northernmost sections of New York, Vermont and New Hampshire might get lucky as well.
Alaska and Canada will have the best views by a wide margin, with virtually the entire state of Alaska getting coverage.
Much like with the Earth’s weather, space weather prediction can be hit or miss. So if you’re in any of the above states, it’s worth taking a look if you’re up that late. The magnetic storm may be slightly stronger or weaker than forecast, which will affect how far south the northern lights reach. This event won’t be as strong as the epic show we saw in May 2024.
Tips on viewing the northern lights
The standard space viewing tips all apply here. You’ll get a better view if you get away from the city and suburbs to avoid light pollution. Weather will play a role as well, since any clouds will obfuscate the view. If you attempt to photograph the aurora, we recommend using long exposure times to give your camera more time to soak in the light.
Other than that, you’ll want to look toward the northern horizon to give yourself the best chance at a good view, since (as you may’ve guessed) that’s where the northern lights originate.
