Northern lights activity continues with potential sightings in tonight’s sky.
Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon / Getty Images
There have been many opportunities to view the northern lights this year. But if you haven’t caught a glimpse yet, you may have another chance to do so tonight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA) predicts the aurora borealis will be visible across the U.S. on Tuesday, November 12.
The agency predicts a Kp index of four out of nine on Tuesday night. The Kp number is a numeric scale that describes geomagnetic activity and is computed by averaging the magnetic activity globally every three hours. Anything classified above a Kp 5 is considered a geomagnetic storm.
Canada and Alaska will have the best chance of viewing the northern lights this evening, according to the NOAA. Other parts of the U.S., including Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota, may also catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis, but chances are relatively low.
The northern lights are created by magnetic storms triggered by solar activity. Energetic charged particles from these storms are carried from the sun by solar winds. When the particles enter Earth’s atmosphere, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen particles. As the air particles shed the energy acquired during the collision, each atom glows in a different color.
To view the celestial phenomenon, the NOAA recommends traveling to a place with a high vantage point away from city lights. Given the right viewing location, stargazers can see the auroras even when they’re about 600 miles further north. The best auroral activity is usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
