Northern lights could be visible in these states tonight
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center has forecasted a minor geomagnetic storm that could produce auroras in more than a dozen U.S. states.
MORE: NASA to launch 2 new satellites that will help forecast solar storms
People in states like Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine could see the northern lights, according to NOAA's aurora viewline map.
Some of the northernmost states could witness more displays on Tuesday night, the map shows.
The auroras could appear especially vibrant due to the current phase of the moon.
This week, the moon is expected to rise in the early morning hours, which will make the night sky appear even darker. Streaks of pinks and greens may be more visible against the dark canvas.
MORE: How to increase your chances of seeing the northern lights as the current solar cycle peaks
The best times to see the northern lights in the U.S. will be between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., according to NOAA.
Northern lights occur when atoms and molecules in Earth's atmosphere clash with a solar flare, which causes the atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow, creating a spectrum of color in the night sky.
In October, the sun's magnetic field reached the solar maximum phase in its 11-year cycle, according to NASA. The increase in number of sunspots and intensity of magnetic activity from the sun has led to more northern lights activity over the past year.
Sunspots with intense magnetic activity are expected to last through 2026, according to NOAA.
MORE: This is when peak northern lights activity will occur
The Space Weather Prediction Center recommends traveling away from city lights and traveling to the darkest location possible for the best viewing.
Smartphones and digital cameras may be able to capture the light shows even if they are not visible to the naked eye because they are more sensitive to the array of colors, according to NASA.
The citizen science platform Aurorasaurus allows users to sign up for alerts of northern lights that are being seen in real time, based on user reports.
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