Northern Lights Alert: Your Guide to Viewing Times and Locations on November 8

Where & What Time to Watch the Northern Lights on November 8: Details

The Space Weather Prediction Center has released helpful viewing tips and methods, as well as information on where and when people can see the Northern Lights.

People in North America will have the chance to see the Northern Lights tonight and tomorrow night, November 8 and 9, according to “viewlines” released by the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

The states of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota are among those that are most likely to see the aurora on the northern horizon.

Other places include Maine, particularly in the northern part of the state, Wisconsin, and Michigan (more common in the Upper Peninsula).

The location, brightness, and intensity of the aurora are indicated by the colors green and red in the SWPC’s prediction, which is subject to change. Green represents the first two, while red represents the last three.

Their forecast, which is based on the OVATION model, states that while auroras are not visible during the day, they are usually seen from Earth either right before sunrise or right after sunset.

It is not necessary to be straight high in the sky to see the Northern Lights; if the conditions are good and the aurora is brilliant enough, one can see the light show from as far away as 1000 kilometers.

For those who are eager to see the light event, the prediction center has also offered helpful advice, including the ideal viewing circumstances.

Since the moon tends to reduce the aurora’s apparent brightness but not its true brilliance, civilians should avoid city lights and walk outside at night.

Additionally, the institute reminds people that the high latitudes where auroras occur are those that don’t experience summer darkness.

As a result, anyone hoping to combine an Arctic summer vacation with the aurora occurrence’s date will not be successful. This is because the aurora will only be visible in the dark, even though it might exist.

Additionally, because geomagnetic activity levels often rise between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, the optimal time to see the aurora is within an hour or two of midnight.

Because there are nuances in the way the solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetosphere, the ideal times to observe are around the spring and fall equinoxes.

“There is a tendency towards larger geomagnetic storms, and thus better auroras, to occur near the equinoxes,” said the center.

Continued they, “However, the number of hours of darkness decreases (increases) rapidly near the spring (fall) equinox so this caveat must be considered for those traveling to see the aurora.”

The impending light display is not the first time that the Northern Lights have been visible to citizens in the United States; last month (October 2024), the spectacle was also witnessed.

The Space Weather Prediction Center verified that anyone who could have missed the aurora would have another opportunity to see it on October 11 after a large number of people had already witnessed the phenomena on October 10.

A KP index of five was forecast for Friday night (October 11) by the center, which monitored the activities of the Northern Lights. The aurora’s intensity was assessed by this index, which ranged from 0 to 9.

The possibility that the Northern Lights were visible further south than usual was suggested by a KP of 5, which denoted a minor geomagnetic storm.

In addition to being a sight to behold, the celestial display also acts as a warning sign for geomagnetic storm conditions, which can affect a number of technologies, such as GPS navigation and radio transmission.

As a mesmerizing evening display that draws people to go to Arctic regions to witness its splendor, the SWPC highlighted the aurora borealis as a unique chance for many to experience the wonders of space weather.

In order to improve the viewing experience, the SWPC at the time advised people to locate a hill or other high vantage point from which to observe the show.

Along with the states stated above, which are anticipated to be able to see the event, South Dakota, Iowa, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont also had the opportunity to see it, but to a lesser extent.

The Meteorological Office forecast that while gloomy skies will block vision over most of the U.K., Scotland was likely to have a clear view, giving other parts of the world a chance to see the auroras.

Following a coronal mass ejection from the Sun on October 8, 2024, the SWPC issued a G4 storm notice on October 9, 2024, therefore last month’s breathtaking aurora borealis displays were not unexpected.

Important infrastructure may have been seriously disrupted by this strong solar outburst.

“There is potential to reach G4 (Severe) upon arrival of this CME and throughout its passage,” the SWPC had warned at the time, and the storm ultimately grew stronger than first anticipated.