Northern Lights Alert: Solar Winds Fuel Aurora Chances
Tonight, a spectacular natural light show may appear across the skies of 15 U.S. states. Thanks to a fast-moving solar wind from a coronal hole in the sun, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a moderate geomagnetic storm warning. This could trigger vivid auroras, potentially visible much farther south than usual.
A coronal hole is a cooler, less dense region in the sun’s outer layer (called the corona). These areas allow high-speed streams of solar wind to escape into space. When these charged particles collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they can spark geomagnetic storms, producing the stunning bands of light known as auroras.
The SWPC predicts a G2-level storm tonight—moderate on a five-level scale ranging from G1 to G5. While G2 storms are not uncommon, they can produce bright, widespread auroras. The U.K.’s Met Office also anticipates a G1–G2 storm, with a chance of a stronger G3 event.
What Causes Auroras?
Auroras form when solar particles slam into gases like oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s upper atmosphere. These gases absorb the energy and release it as glowing colors. Green and red lights come from oxygen, while blue and violet hues are caused by nitrogen.
Typically, auroras appear in higher-latitude areas like Alaska and northern Canada, but this geomagnetic event could push the lights farther south, grazing parts of the northern U.S. border.
Even if auroras aren’t directly overhead, people up to 620 miles (1,000 km) away might still catch the glow along the horizon, especially after sunset or before sunrise.
How to Spot the Lights
Your best chance of seeing the aurora? Look toward the northern horizon in a dark area just after dusk or before dawn. The show can’t be guaranteed—it depends on many space weather factors—but tonight offers one of the better chances in recent weeks.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to drop after tonight, with only a minor G1-level storm forecast for Thursday, June 26.
Stay tuned to Maple News Wire for more updates on skywatching opportunities.
