This weekend, the Northern Lights are expected to be active again across much of the northern United States.
The Northern Lights may be visible in Michigan late Friday and Saturday evenings. The southern extent of the lights may extend to the state’s southern border with Indiana and Ohio.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, several coronal mass ejections were detected on the surface of the sun on Wednesday.
A coronal mass ejection is a burst of plasma from our nearest star. If this burst is directed towards Earth, the charged particles on a trajectory toward Earth can affect our planet’s geomagnetic field.
The event triggered a moderate geomagnetic storm warning at the SWPC for August 9-11, 2024.
Geomagnetic storms of this magnitude typically result in increased auroral activity in northern latitudes, but the impact on technology is generally minimal.
Peak of the Perseids this weekend
The Northern Lights aren’t the only thing to see in the night sky this weekend. The Perseid meteor shower, considered the most beautiful of the summer, will reach its peak late Sunday evening.
As with any meteor shower, the peak of activity refers to the time when the highest number of meteors is expected. Under ideal conditions in a location far from city lights, up to 50-100 meteors per hour can occur, according to NASA.
However, the Perseids have been active since mid-July and will remain active until the end of the month, so the closer you try to observe the peak, the better your chances of seeing them.
The waxing crescent moon will be about half illuminated late Sunday, but it will set around midnight. The darker the sky, the better the meteor viewing, so that’s good news for hopeful stargazers.
Tips for observing the Northern Lights
- Location: Find a place where you can see north. If you have the right vantage point, such as on a hill with a clear view to the north, you can see the Northern Lights even if they are 600 miles further north.
- The darker the sky, the better: Go out at night and get away from city lights. The full moon also reduces the apparent brightness of the aurora (not the actual brightness).
- Timing: The best auroras usually occur one to two hours after midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time).
- Keep your expectations a little low: Even during a strong geomagnetic storm, auroras are not always visible to the naked eye. Photos showing auroras are often taken by high-quality long-exposure cameras and do not always reflect what we can see with our eyes.
- Stay up to date: The Space Weather Prediction Center’s 30-minute forecast is a great tool when trying to spot the aurora.
While space weather forecasters can generally predict when the aurora might occur, the lead time for a more accurate forecast is usually only about 30 minutes. The SWPC’s homepage features their aurora forecast, which provides the most up-to-date overview of when the activity might peak.
Here in Western Michigan, skies may be partly cloudy overnight, while parts of Northern Michigan and the UP can expect heavier clouds and even some light rain Friday night into Saturday.
- Forecast: WWMT.com/Weather
Happy skygazing! If you happen to capture the Northern Lights or Perseids, you can share your photos with News Channel 3 via our Chime-In page.
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