Northern Lights in the US 2023 Dates: From New York to Alaska, Geomagnetic Storms Expected To Create Rare Auroras in Various US States on July 11 and 12
In the recent few months, a lot of places have been brightening up with the beautiful spectacle of the Northern Lights. Now parts of America are in for a treat once again as 17 states are expected to get a glimpse of the colourful show in the night sky this week.
In the recent few months, a lot of places have been brightening up with the beautiful spectacle of the Northern Lights. Now parts of America are in for a treat once again as 17 states are expected to get a glimpse of the colourful show in the night sky this week. A geomagnetic storm is expected to hit the earth on Wednesday and Thursday, July 11 and 12, resulting in the occurrence of Northern Lights once again. El Nino Conditions Prevail in Tropical Pacific for First Time in Seven Years; WMO Warns Surge in Global Temperatures.
As per the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, auroral activity will be seen on Thursday in several states in the US. The auroras are a result of solar winds interacting with the Earth’s magnetic field. The visibility and brightness will depend on the level of the geomagnetic storm expected. The Kp index, or planetary index, ranks auroral activity on a scale from zero up to nine—zero being not very active and nine being the brightest. The forecast for Thursday’s storm has a level of Kp6, according to the Geophysical Institute. So there is a high chance of watching the auroras from the low horizons as well. James Webb Space Telescope Detects Most Distant Active Supermassive Black Hole Till Date.
Where Will Northern Lights Be Seen?
If the weather conditions remain favourable, Northern Lights will illuminate the skies in the north region of these US states - Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.
If you are planning to catch this spectacle, you need to plan ahead to move away from the city lights. The best time to view the Northern Lights is between 10 pm and 2 am local time. In the previous such storm, almost 30 states could spot the aurora.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2023 12:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).