The northern lights are even more likely to be observed in Canada and Alaska. If you live in one of these states, you’ll want to keep an eye on the sky tonight for your chance to spot the aurora, so here are some tips for northern lights chasers. Anything you see may appear as pale as a cloud. From n3kl.org. Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2020. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The sun has a heartbeat. A band of Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, stretches over the Chugach Range near Palmer, Alaska in this February file photo. "The best time to watch for aurora is the three or four hours around midnight, but aurora occurs throughout the night," the forecast said. Northern Lights Forecast . The more sunspots, the more solar flare energy is being released into space (which means more aurora activity!). Aurora Borealis (northern lights) were spotted in the northern tier of the U.S. last night. Hosted by Kellee Edwards. A solar storm is expected to hit Earth, triggering auroras -- or what we know as the northern lights. Travel + Leisure is part of the Travel + Leisure Group. destinations known for their incredible northern lights, 17 Hotels Where You Can See the Northern Lights Without Leaving Your Bed. According to a map shared by the NOAA, the northern lights could be seen in the Northeast including northern New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, northern Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, northern Idaho, and Washington. Space Weather Prediction Center. If you live in one of these states, you might be able to spot the northern lights from your backyard tonight. That means some lucky Americans might be able to spot the elusive northern lights from their very own backyards — if the conditions are right. The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural light display usually seen in high latitude areas — Norway, Iceland, Alaska, and northern Canada are among destinations known for their incredible northern lights viewing opportunities. Subscribe to PennLive. Here's How to See It. Fingers crossed the weather holds up. There are two full moons scheduled for October, the first being the Harvest Moon on Oct. 1. The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Parts of the U.S. Tonight — Here's How to Spot Them. The 9-point scale on the right side of the page is a simple way to judge your chances of seeing something. Northern Lights Tonight Dear Aurora Enthusiast, Here is a dashboard for all of you Aurora Hunters trying to see the Northern Lights tonight. Northern lights could be visible in northern US tonight as solar storm triggers auroras Monday, September 28, 2020 If you're in the northern United States on … Once you’re somewhere with clear, dark skies, look towards the northern horizon, and wait. You may have a couple of chances to see the display this week in the northern parts of the country. The Northern Lights Will Be Visible Over the U.S. Tonight. All Rights Reserved. The next full moon, also deemed the “Hunter’s Moon,” will occur on Halloween night. Solar X-rays Geomagnetic Field. According to the NOAA, there are a few main factors that determine whether you’ll see the northern lights. This week, the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced G1 and G2 geomagnetic storm watches for Sept. 27 through Sept. 29. Alaska Satellite. The greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports, and more — as voted by you. The solar storm could be even stronger tonight! Try to go somewhere with little to no light pollution, and check the forecast to make sure there will be clear skies. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The further away from those earth based light sources the better for seeing the Northern Lights. The highest forecast probability was between 3 … Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Prime northern lights viewing times are estimated to be any time between 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. today and 11 p.m. through 2 a.m. tomorrow. If you happen to be in certain parts of the United States either tonight or tomorrow, you may be in luck—this could be your chance to catch a glimpse of some northern lights. (AP Photo | Bob Martinson)AP. Need exclusive stories only we can tell? 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This probability forecast is based on current solar wind conditions measured at L1, but using a fixed 30-minute delay time between L1 and Earth. So late, nighttime (or early morning) dark tends to be best. 2-3: Moderate, but with good chances to catch the Northern Lights. Related: More space travel and astronomy news. The strongest solar storm of the season is underway. Historical View of the sun spotsFor 400 years, from the time of Galileo until now, we have been keeping track of the number of these sunspots and, a… This is the most usual forecast. AURORA ALERT! this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! Related: 17 Hotels Where You Can See the Northern Lights Without Leaving Your Bed. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). If you happen to be in certain parts of the United States either tonight or tomorrow, you may be in luck—this could be your chance to catch a glimpse of some northern lights. During major geomagnetic storms, the northern lights can be seen in the northern United States, and this week, Americans will have the chance to spot this bucket list-worthy phenomenon for themselves. You have an even greater chance of spotting them should you be in Alaska or Canada. Copyright © 2020 WABC-TV. The level of geomagnetic activity and your location are most important — people in cities located at higher latitudes are more likely to see the phenomenon (you can find your city’s magnetic latitude on the NOAA website). If you're in the northern United States on Monday evening, look to the sky! Northern lights aren’t the only celestial show Earthlings have to look forward to this fall. Scientists think they have discovered the energy source of the spectacular color displays seen in the northern lights. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. 0-2: Low, almost no, activity. Travel + Leisure is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation Travel + Leisure Group All Rights Reserved, registered in the United States and other countries. The northern lights are even more likely to be observed in Canada and Alaska. But you also want few competing light sources so get away from the city lights and let your eyes adjust to the darkness. Thrillist reports how these lights are obviously only visible when it’s dark outside, so be sure to get a clear view of the northern horizon as soon as the sun sets to look for those spectacular ribbons of light. Thanks to a bunch of geomagnetic activity from the sun moving into a new solar cycle, the famed aurora borealis will be visible in places such as northern Idaho, northern Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. https://t.co/AVcPp11pTw pic.twitter.com/GmW08B5u9y. Offers may be subject to change without notice. National Weather Service. The OVATION Aurora Forecast Model shows the intensity and location of the aurora predicted for the time shown at the top of the map. All rights reserved (About Us). Every eleven years or so it beats, and it beats hard. This is known as the solar cycle and is measured by the number of sunspots visible on the sun.