Dazzling northern lights display captured on video: Watch enchanting time-lapse footage
People across many states witnessed one of the most breathtaking natural wonders during the northern lights' latest return.
Time-lapse footage shared online captured the stunning phenomenon on June 1 across the United States from Dufur, Oregon, to San Antonio.
"A magnificent display of the aurora from last night!" a vacationer in Victor, Idaho, shared on X.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that 20 states were expected to witness the vibrant lights. The northern lights could be visible on the nights of Monday, June 2, and Tuesday, June 3, though the likelihood of seeing them in the mainland United States will be lower.
See map: Northern lights might be visible in several states tonight
What are the northern lights?
Aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, are colorful ribbons of light that weave across Earth's northern or southern polar regions, according to NASA.
Geomagnetic storms are caused by solar activity like solar flares or coronal mass ejections. The solar wind moves energetic charged particles from these events away from the sun to produce the northern lights.
Can you see northern lights with the naked eye?
Northern lights can be safely viewed without a telescope or microscope. The visibility of the aurora depends on multiple factors, including location, weather, time of night, and the level of geomagnetic activity present.
Contributing: Julia Gomez, Doyle Rice, and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY
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