Northern Lights Visible Across 22 States Tonight
A recent solar event has sparked a spectacular celestial display. Stargazers in New York and beyond might witness an impressive aurora show tonight caused by a powerful geomagnetic storm.
Details of the Solar Event
On November 5, an 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, traveled at speeds between 2.5 and 3.1 million mph, according to Space.com. The event has activated the northern lights (aurora borealis) and southern lights (aurora australis).
Timing and Impact
The CME is expected to reach Earth late on November 6 or early November 7. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center warns this could cause strong G3 geomagnetic storm conditions.
“Watches have been issued for these times with moderate to high confidence in timing, and moderate confidence in magnitude,” NOAA states.
Effects on Northern Lights Viewing
If the CME arrives as predicted, it may intensify auroras, extending visibility from the polar regions down into the US Midwest. Conditions will be ideal for aurora enthusiasts.
Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov wrote on X: “A whole train of big #solarstorms are on their way, along with some smaller storms hitting now, and some fast solar wind! It is an #aurora photographer’s dream starting now and lasting at least through the weekend.”
Summary
This solar storm promises an extraordinary aurora experience across multiple states, offering a rare chance to see the lights far from the poles.
Author’s summary: A powerful solar flare is causing geomagnetic storms, making northern lights visible across 22 states with peak conditions expected through the weekend.