The northern lights could become visible across parts of the northern U.S. overnight on Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29, as a potent stream of solar wind and a coronal mass ejection — a cloud of magnetic fields and charged particles from the sun — strike Earth’s magnetic field.
Space weather forecasters are predicting a G2-class geomagnetic storm, which could bring aurora into view from northern-tier U.S. states close to the Canada border. If that happens — and nothing is guaranteed — you can photograph the northern lights with a phone.
The promising forecast comes after a deep partial lunar eclipse on the night of Aug. 27-28, as the full Sturgeon Moon passed almost entirely through Earth’s darkest shadow, creating a spectacular 96.2% partial lunar eclipse visible across North America, South America, Europe and Africa. The waning full moon in the south may make it harder to see faint aurora in the north.
Northern Lights Alert For Tonight
According to a forecast by space weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a G2-class geomagnetic storm could begin as it gets dark in North America on Friday, Aug, 28, with Kp 5.67 conditions forecast.
“G2 (Minor) storms are likely on 28 and 29 Aug due to additional disturbances caused by the anticipated arrival of the CMEs that left the sun on 25-26 Aug,” states NOAA, referring to a coronal hole high-speed stream and the coronal mass ejection.
Northern Lights Forecast For The U.S.
If G1 geomagnetic storm conditions develop, the aurora could become visible from dark locations across northern-tier U.S. states near the Canadian border. Potential viewing areas include Alaska and parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, provided skies remain clear.
Should geomagnetic activity briefly strengthen to G2 levels, the auroral oval could expand farther south, potentially allowing photographers in states such as Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania and New York to capture faint displays. However, visibility is never guaranteed.
Aurora-chasing website Cosmik has live odds for all states and 552 cities in 10 languages, updated from NOAA’s data, so you can check whether your location may see aurora tonight.
Best Viewing Conditions
Skywatchers hoping to witness aurora should head to a dark location with unobstructed views of the northern horizon. Aurora visibility will ultimately depend on the strength of the solar wind, cloud cover, light pollution and the orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field. The latter, known as Bz, is critical — when Bz points south, it can connect more efficiently with Earth’s magnetic field, allowing energy and charged particles to enter the magnetosphere. A sustained period of southward Bz could make the aurora brighter and push it farther south than expected. If Bz remains northward, however, the resulting display may be weak or restricted to higher latitudes. Use apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora for up-to-the-minute alerts and live solar wind data.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
