The northern lights are a fantastic natural phenomenon. These northern lights are born in the sky as spots or columns of different colors, product of solar radiation. It can be seen in the coldest corners of the world, at the North and South Poles, where this phenomenon is known as the southern aurora.
The best times of the year to observe this phenomenon are between September and March in the northern hemisphere.
To ever see the northern lights is the dream of many people. The chances of achieving this are particularly good in countries such as Finland. However, this week it is possible to see this incredible natural phenomenon in the United States.
The aurora occurs when the sun ejects charged particles into space that are rejected by the Earth's magnetosphere and thrown towards the poles. Once these particles enter the upper Earth's atmosphere, they cause air molecules to glow. In this way, the most beautiful light show in the world is created.
This week's viewing in the US sky is due to a recent strong geomagnetic storm of the sun. Thanks to this, people from Colorado could catch a glimpse of the dawn from March 31 to April 1 and possibly April 2 as well.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the geomagnetic storm that caused the aurora was classified as minor (a G1 on a scale of 5), but it is expected to continue until Saturday and could even register as a strong storm.
Reports of auroras came yesterday from all over the northern United States, including Washington State, Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota, as reported by The Washington Post.
The outbreak of geomagnetic activity is a small sample of what is to come in the coming years, when the sun enters a more active period of its solar cycle, which is expected to peak around 2025 , according to an analysis by NASA.
Here are the US states most likely to be able to see the northern lights:
-Maine
-Minnesota
-Montana
-North Dakota
-South Dakota
-Washington
-Wisconsin
-Idaho
-Indiana
-Nebraska
-Oregon
-Pennsylvania
-Wyoming
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