The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, is a magical natural phenomenon of dazzling colorful lights that seem to dance across the sky. To see the northern lights in person is otherworldly, transfixing those who witness it, especially for the first time. Due to a powerful solar storm, residents of Illinois may be treated to a natural light show in the sky, although they might only be visible in the northern parts of the state.
Northern lights are a more common occurrence in the Arctic Circle. They do not occur that often, at least not to this magnitude, in the United States. If you are in an area where you can see the aurora, do yourself a favor and go outside to marvel at this natural phenomenon.
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As the sun enters a new 11-year cycle, things get a little tumultuous on the surface, hurtling plasma particles, or solar wind, into space.
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If the solar wind hits the Earth’s surface, it can cause beautiful bands of colors in the sky known as the Northern Lights.
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If you are lucky enough to witness the Northern Lights, they will most likely be green, the most common color. When solar activity is at a high, bands of purple, blue, pink, and yellow may also be seen.
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With an uptick in space weather activity, we may end up seeing more auroras in the future. Solar storms, however, can affect GPS and satellites, so the functionality of our electronics may go a little haywire over the next several days.
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For the best visibility, there will have to be a cloudless sky and you will have to get away from city lights. And to photograph the Aurora Borealis successfully, place your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure with a shutter release.
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The year 2020 has been filled with a lot of darkness but seems to be ending on a brighter note with the appearance of the Northern Lights as well as another natural phenomenon, the Christmas Star.
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Will you try to see the Aurora Borealis over the next few days?
For more information on the Aurora and current space weather, please visit the NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center’s website.
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