The geometric storm that created last night’s dazzling Northern Lights show will continue tonight, which means you may have a second chance to witness the event.
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People living as far south as the Florida Keys caught glimpses of the Northern Lights last night (May 10), despite predictions saying they’d only be visible as far as Alabama and Northern California. However, many missed the show due to cloudy skies. Fortunately, solar activity is still high tonight.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, we’re under a rare G5-level geomagnetic storm for the first time in 11 years. That storm sent Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) into Earth’s outer atmosphere last night, which is what caused the beautiful dancing green and pink lights. And those CMEs will continue throughout tonight and possibly into next week.
The Northern Lights Will Continue To Cover A Large Portion Of The United States On Saturday Night
As the map above highlights, the Northern Lights aren’t expected to cover as much of the United States tonight. However, the NOAA notes that you do not necessarily need to be directly under the aurora to witness the event. With clear and dark enough conditions, people living as far as 620 miles away could see the colors.
If you’re hoping to see the Northern Lights tonight, make sure you take the time to drive away from city lights. The best time to view them is typically between 10 pm and 3 am. Also, your cell phone will be able to pick up more intense colors than the naked eye. In fact, even if you can’t see the lights at all, you may be able to witness the show by pointing your viewer to the sky.
“Cellphones are much better than our eyes at capturing light,” the Space Weather Prediction Center’s Brent Gordon said during a press conference on Friday, per CBS News. “Just go out your back door and take a picture with a newer cellphone. And you’d be amazed at what you see in that picture versus what you see with your eyes.”
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