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  • Here’s your next chance to see the northern lights in the Midwest

    Here’s your next chance to see the northern lights in the Midwest

    JOPLIN, Mo. (KSNF) — If you missed the rare opportunity to see the northern lights Friday night (5/10), you may have one more opportunity to witness the phenomenon.

    The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis are likely to be visible in much of the United States again Sunday night (5/12) and possibly Monday, thanks to a severe geomagnetic storm.

    According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, geomagnetic storms occur when the sun sends charged particles and parts of its magnetic field to Earth, often through an explosive outburst of plasma from the sun, called coronal mass ejections (CME).

    The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) says this most recent geomagnetic storm — the strongest in more than 20 years — reached Earth Friday evening as an “extreme” G5 (geomagnetic storms are ranked from G1 to G5),

    Northern Lights Prediction For Sunday, Monday

    | Can’t See The Northern Lights? Try Using Your Phone Camera >

    On Saturday (5/11), the extreme solar storm dropped to a lower intensity, but the storm activity may reach high levels again on Sunday. The SWPC has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch for May 12, which they say, “…could result in the northern lights visible over much of the northern half of the U.S., and maybe as far south as Alabama to northern California.”

    According to The Hill, your best bet to see the lights is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. (provided there are clear skies or breaks in the cloud cover, and not too much light pollution from larger cities). If you look up and don’t see anything, people with newer cell phones might just be able to catch a view that’s better than what you can see with the human eye.

    What People Got To See Friday Night

    The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, were visible in the night sky Friday, May 10, 2024 in several Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. This photo was taken around 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning (5/11) in southwest Missouri. (Photo: KSNF)The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, were visible in the night sky Friday, May 10, 2024 in several Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. This photo was taken around 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning (5/11) in southwest Missouri. (Photo: KSNF)

    The aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, were visible in the night sky Friday, May 10, 2024 in several Midwestern states like Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. This photo was taken around 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning (5/11) in southwest Missouri. (Photo: KSNF)

    | Views Of The Northern Lights From Around The U.S. >

    Americans in states as far south as Missouri, Arkansas, and even Florida were able to catch a glimpse of the northern lights Friday. Many people took to social media, posting photos that show the northern lights in shades of green and pink glowing in the night sky.

    It’s something many only get to see once in their lifetime, especially those in the Midwest — a location typically too far south of the polar region where the grand arc of blue, green, and pink in the night sky is a common sight.

    For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.

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  • Did you see the northern lights in Ohio? You might get another chance Saturday night

    Did you see the northern lights in Ohio? You might get another chance Saturday night

    Greater Columbus residents were treated to views of the northern lights, with shades of pink and ribbons of green light Friday night and into Saturday morning.

    An encore show may be possible Saturday night.

    NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center had predicted a geomagnetic storm at the G4 level, out of five possible, bringing coronal mass ejections toward Earth and views of the aurora borealis into the U.S. On Saturday, the center said G5 conditions — the most extreme level — were observed and warned satellite navigation and other technologies could be affected.

    The center predicts the extreme storming will continue through Sunday and, weather-permitting, the northern lights will be visible again Saturday night.

    Why are the northern lights visible in Ohio?

    The sun has been emitting a series of strong solar flares since Wednesday morning. The coronal mass ejections hurtling toward Earth prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to issue a rare Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch on Thursday for the first time in 19 years. The geomagnetic storms that the CMEs would produce pose a limited threat to our communications, but they can also trigger the aurora borealis, better known as the northern lights.

    Did you see the northern lights Friday? Share your photos with The Dispatch here.

    And because the sun is at the height of its 11-year-cycle, the auroras have a very good chance of being seen by more Americans than usual.

    When to look for the northern lights

    The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases.

    Astronomer Dean Regas recommended getting away from city lights and heading north for the best view. In some cases, the lights may be more visible through a phone or other camera.

    How to share your northern lights photos with The Dispatch

    Astronomer Dean Regas saw the northern lights on Cincinnati's East Side on Friday, May 10, 2024. It was the first time the aurora borealis was visible in the area since Nov. 5 2001, Regas said.

    Astronomer Dean Regas saw the northern lights on Cincinnati’s East Side on Friday, May 10, 2024. It was the first time the aurora borealis was visible in the area since Nov. 5 2001, Regas said.

    Did you take some great photos of the northern lights over Ohio? Here’s how you can share them with Dispatch readers.

    When was the last time the aurora borealis was visible in Ohio?

    Friday was the first time the northern lights have been seen this clearly in Ohio since Nov. 5, 2001, Regas wrote in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

    “Back then, a solar eruption rocketed from the sun and solar particles broke through the Earth’s magnetic field to give a green glow to the Cincinnati skies,” Regas said. “The northern lights last night were caused by a similar solar outburst a few days ago from an expansive sunspot group. The sunspots were so large that, viewing them through eclipse glasses, you could see them with the naked eye.”

    USA TODAY and the Cincinnati Enquirer contributed reporting.

    This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can I see the northern lights tonight? Geomagnetic storm continues



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  • Earth was just slammed with a “severe” geomagnetic storm

    Earth was just slammed with a “severe” geomagnetic storm

    The planet was just slammed with what government officials dubbed a severe geomagnetic storm, the second-highest level of NOAA’s rating system. The event brought “a major disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field” that may have impacted infrastructure and made the northern lights visible farther than usual, officials said.

    NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a geomagnetic storm watch on Saturday, saying that a coronal mass ejection was detected and expected to hit the planet late that same day with impacts into Monday. Coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, are when a large cloud of plasma and magnetic field bursts from the sun’s corona.

    This particular CME exploded alongside a solar flare on Friday, an event that occurs when electromagnetic radiation suddenly erupts from the sun. NOAA says these flares can last hours and the eruption “travels at the speed of light,” meaning it can impact Earth as soon as it is observed. An X-class flare, like what was observed with the CME, is the strongest type of flare, although this particular one was not the strongest on record. NOAA forecasters did say, however, that more X-class flares are possible through Wednesday.

    “The public should not be concerned, but may wish to keep informed by visiting our webpage for any forecast changes and updates,” NOAA said on Saturday, saying a moderate geomagnetic storm was possible. By Sunday afternoon, however, the agency alerted of a “severe” storm that could potentially impact technology – and eventually extend the northern lights as far south as Alabama.

    “The public should not anticipate adverse impacts and no action is necessary, but they should stay properly informed of storm progression by visiting our webpage,” NOAA said in its alert, adding that “normally mitigable” problems with voltage control was possible, as well as “frequent and longer periods of GPS degradation.”

    “Infrastructure operators have been notified to take action to mitigate any possible impacts,” the agency said.

    On Monday morning, NOAA said that the impacts of the CME “appear to be weakening,” but that solar wind speeds – which help carry the event – were still elevated. The warning of a “moderate” storm has since been extended. Moderate geomagnetic storms, classified as G2, can potentially impact high-latitude power systems, damage transformers and extend the northern lights to New York and Idaho. It can also potentially require flight ground control to issue corrective actions for orientation.

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