How to see the Northern Lights tonight from these 24 states

need to know

• According to the NOAA forecast, a powerful geomagnetic storm could spread auroras over 24 US states on the night of Monday, January 19, into the early hours of Tuesday, 20.

• An Earth-directed coronal mass ejection from an X1.9 solar flare is expected to affect Earth’s magnetic field, potentially triggering G3 to G4 storm conditions.

• Clear skies after a new moon can make this event especially photogenic, with cameras capturing colors invisible to the naked eye.

Look up, because the sky is about to put on a show!

If you’ve ever wanted to see (or photograph) the Northern Lights without ever leaving America, this could be your moment.

The aurora borealis (northern lights) are caused by geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating bright waves of light in the sky. Still, their visibility depends on many factors, including intensity and location.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Forecast Center, the surge in intense solar activity comes just in time for dark winter skies in January, setting the stage for an unusually southward push of the aurora across the country tonight, Jan. 19, and into the early hours of Tuesday, Jan. 20.

This is not a subtle glow reserved for the Arctic Circle. It’s a rare, high-impact space weather phenomenon that can bring auroras to mid-latitude regions just as the night sky reaches its darkest point.

According to NOAA forecasters, Earth is bracing for a strong to potentially severe geomagnetic storm when charged solar particles slam into our planet’s magnetic field.

trigger? A massive X1.9-square solar flare erupted from the Sun, followed by an Earth-directed total halo (CME) coronal mass ejection, the type that significantly increases the odds of intense auroral activity.

It’s one of those nights where space weather, lunar cycles and winter darkness conspire to create something extraordinary.

Here’s exactly when to watch, where to watch and how to make the most of this stellar event.

When will the northern lights be visible?

The northern lights are expected overnight from Monday, January 19, into early Tuesday, January 20, as Earth is hit by a powerful geomagnetic storm.

Forecasters are predicting strong G3 conditions, with the storm likely to intensify to G4 (severe) on NOAA’s five-level scale.

The activity is being driven by a full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME), a large cloud of charged solar particles ejected from the Sun on Sunday, January 18, after an X1.9-class solar flare.

As a CME is directed toward Earth, it has a high chance of perturbing its magnetic field when it arrives. According to NOAA, “high storm levels are possible early in the day” on Monday, January 19.

Where will the northern lights be seen?

If conditions peak as forecast, auroras could be seen in 24 US states, stretching from the Canadian border to the mid-latitude regions.

The best chances for sightings will be in northern areas including Alaska, northern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and Maine.

If the storm reaches G3 strength or higher, however, the view could extend into southern Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

How to see the northern lights?

Space weather is notoriously difficult to predict, as everything depends on the speed and orientation of the solar wind.

For real-time updates, be sure to monitor NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast, SpaceWeatherLive.com or Aurora-tracking apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast, SpaceWeatherLive or Glendale Aurora.

A key indicator is the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field. When Bz rotates southward, solar energy can easily penetrate Earth’s magnetic field. A sustained southward Bz of -5 nanoteslas or stronger often indicates an impending auroral display.

Dark skies will be particularly favorable during this window, as the activity follows a new moon, meaning there is little to no moonlight to interfere with visibility.

From North American states, any auroras that do appear may be lower on the northern horizon.

How to take photos of the northern lights?

The best part about the Northern Lights is that you can also make fun memories in the process. Even your smartphone is more than enough! All you have to do is go to settings, turn it on Night mode And point your camera lens towards the sky.

If you’re a very experienced skywatcher and have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, grab a tripod and set your camera to manual mode. Don’t forget to stay warm!

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