As the nights get longer in the Northern Hemisphere, chances for viewing the spectacular aurora borealis, or Northern Lights get better, and this year’s relatively mild Autumn make the chances of viewing in comfort better.
While popular places to view the phenomenon include areas north of the Arctic Circle in Iceland and Scandinavia, on dark, clear nights after a powerful solar storm they can often be seen in parts of New England as well as Michigan, the Dakotas and Minnesota. Sometimes they can be seen even further south.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the key indicators are to be found on its websites for aurora and geomagnetic forecasts. One of the measures shown is aurora strength on a Kp index that runs from 0 to 9. Your chances of seeing the lights start at around 4 on the index, and increase as the number gets higher.
If you’re lucky enough to see them, by the way, The Points Guy has some tips on how to photograph them with a smartphone.
Photo: Northern Lights in the Shetlands (GarryRF/TravelGumbo)
