The Aurora Borealis is a phenomenon that happens when charged particles collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. The Aurora Borealis is a result of the charged particles coming in contact with the gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
The contact creates flashes of colorful light, which in turn light up the sky. The Auroras are usually seen in Arctic regions like Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Scandinavia, Finland, Scotland, and Russia.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now predicted that the Aurora Borealis might be visible across a few regions in the USA. The phenomenon will be taking place on Monday night.
A few areas of Washington, Montana, North Dakota, northern Idaho, Upper Michigan, and northern Minnesota will observe a low chance of seeing the northern lights.
Other regions that might have an even slimmer chance of seeing the Aurora are South Dakota, Maine, and Wisconsin. Alaska is the one region that shows the most promise for where the northern lights may occur.
Aurora Borealis over Iceland 🇮🇸 pic.twitter.com/zBGAOJso9u — iloveitalyy (@iloveitalyy) April 5, 2025
The NOAA has released a set of things to keep in mind to make your northern lights viewing experience even more optimal. The Aurora Borealis will be best visible from 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
It is advised for individuals to make their way to a high vantage point to increase their chances of getting a look. A high vantage point also takes you away from light pollution.
National Geographic has a few tips for you if you are one of the people hoping to capture the magical experience on camera. It is advised to opt for a wide-angle lens.
Pairing the lens with an aperture of four or less would be the optimal setting to capture the Northern Lights on camera. Turning your flashlight off and turning your night mode on is advised for people using their phones.
Aurora Borealis appears in the sky when electrons from solar events react with the oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere. According to the NOAA, the collision of solar flares and coronal mass ejections causes electrons to get “excited.”
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare on Jan. 3, peaking at 6:39 a.m. ET. @NOAA‘s Solar Ultraviolet Imager captured an image of the event, which was classified as X1.2. https://t.co/UF58M8rVeE pic.twitter.com/g3yfzaK8Vs — NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) January 3, 2025
The reaction between all the elements results in the formation of the Aurora Borealis in the sky. NASA shared that the northern lights display peaked in 500 years, which was reached in October 2024.
The agency also predicted that the recent activity on the sun’s surface shows that it has reached a “solar maximum.” The peak that has recently been observed is predicted to continue into early 2026.
Aurora Borealis May Be Visible in Parts of the U.S. Tonight-These 10 States Have a Chance
