On Wednesday, the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is expected to streak across the United States for the second time in a week. 

This upcoming light show promises to be even more vibrant and brighter than the last, thanks to our Sun’s 11-year solar cycle, which is approaching its peak between late 2024 and early 2026. 

As we near this peak, solar flares and the Northern Lights are set to become more frequent and spectacular.

How to See the Northern Lights in the United States

Although predicting the Northern Lights can be tricky, the best time to catch a glimpse is typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. To maximize your chances, avoid city lights and other sources of light pollution, monitor weather forecasts to ensure clear skies, and find a high vantage point, such as a hilltop. 

The Northern Lights occur when energetic charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth's atmosphere at astonishing speeds of up to 45 million mph (72 million kph), creating the mesmerizing light display.

For those eager to see the Northern Lights, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offers the Aurora Dashboard. This tool provides real-time, animated predictions of where the aurora might be visible in the next few minutes and the following day.

What Causes the Aurora Borealis?

According to NASA, auroras are ribbons of light that weave across Earth's polar regions. These light shows are triggered by magnetic storms caused by solar activity, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. 

The solar wind carries charged particles away from the sun, which then collide with Earth's atmosphere at incredible speeds. The Earth's magnetic field redirects these particles towards the poles, where they interact with atmospheric gases to produce the auroras.

During major geomagnetic storms, the auroras can expand away from the poles and become visible over parts of the United States. 

Billy Teets, director of Dyer Observatory at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, explains that these particles are "deflected towards the poles of Earth by our planet’s magnetic field and interact with our atmosphere, depositing energy and causing the atmosphere to fluoresce."

The vibrant colors of the Northern Lights are determined by the chemical composition of Earth's atmosphere. For example, red hues are produced by nitrogen molecules, while green colors come from oxygen molecules.

Best Places to View the Aurora Borealis in the U.S.

Ten U.S. states are expected to have prime views of the Aurora Borealis:

• New York (northern areas)
• Washington
• Idaho
• Montana
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Michigan
• Maine

Monitoring Solar Activity

The recently launched GOES-U satellite, aboard Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket, is designed to monitor high levels of solar activity. This satellite is part of the GOES-R Series, which NOAA describes as "the Western Hemisphere’s most sophisticated weather-observing and environmental-monitoring system." It provides advanced imagery, atmospheric measurements, real-time lightning mapping, and space weather monitoring.

With increased solar activity expected in the coming years, we can look forward to more frequent and spectacular displays of the Aurora Borealis.

So, keep an eye on the skies and the NOAA Aurora Dashboard to catch one of nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena.