We may get another chance to see northern lights in NC. Here’s why + when
Skywatchers are hoping for a June encore of the May 10 northern lights show as the sunspot that caused the phenomenon comes back into Earth’s view.
Scientists say there is at least some chance the lights will be visible again as far south as North Carolina.
What’s been happening around the sun?
The display of northern lights display that had people staring into the darkness on the nights of May 10 and 11 was caused by the strongest solar storm in decades.
NOAA said at least five coronal mass ejections were observed beginning May 6, meaning the sun’s corona expelled large amounts of plasma and magnetic field. NOAA describes the releases as magnetic clouds that travel through space and can cause solar storms.
The agency says a solar or geomagnetic storm is a disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere, the area around the planet that’s controlled by its magnetic field.
It can take several days for the debris from the solar storm to reach Earth’s upper atmosphere, where the particles interact with nitrogen, oxygen and other gas molecules. The interactions cause the colors that from Earth we see as aurora or northern lights, according to the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Atmospheric Research.
Because of the strength of the storms earlier this month, people reported seeing aurora as far south as the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, a rare event. The lights were vivid across much of North Carolina the night of May 10, aided by mostly clear skies and no moon.
When might we see the northern lights again?
Using NOAA data, spaceweatherlive.com says the best chance to see aurora next month will be between June 8 and 12, when geomagnetic activity is expected to be elevated. During that window, the current forecast shows it will highest on June 9 and 11, meaning a greater likelihood of seeing aurora those nights if conditions are right.
NOAA has an experimental aurora forecast it updates daily and there are smartphone apps that estimate the chance of seeing aurora based on your location. People have reported seeing northern lights even when forecasts show a low chance.
Will the northern lights be visible in North Carolina this time?
The sunspot that ultimately generated those lights will be facing the Earth again starting June 6, scientists say. Whether we see aurora again will depend on how strong the activity on the sun is as it comes around this time.
The stronger the geomagnetic activity, the more intense the aurora and the farther south in the Northern Hemisphere it can be seen.
Scientists note that it’s difficult to predict the weather in space, and science journalist Jamie Carter wrote this week in an article for Live Science that while the geomagnetic activity may not be as strong this time around, it’s worth going outside and looking up on the nights around June 6 just in case the northern lights make a return appearance.
It will help that a new moon rises on June 6, so the moon won’t obscure the lights if they show.
What’s the best way to see the northern lights?
▪ The aurora doesn’t need to be directly overhead; it can be seen from more than 600 miles away if conditions are right.
▪ Get away from city light pollution if possible, and away from buildings that block your view of the horizon.
▪ A few hours after sunset, look due north and watch for shades of green, pink, red, yellow, blue and violet. Scientists say the colors are often most intense around midnight.
▪ Sometimes a camera lens will pick up aurora even when the naked eye can’t perceive the colors.
This story was originally published May 30, 2024 at 7:00 AM with the headline "We may get another chance to see northern lights in NC. Here’s why + when."
