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Fast Company
3 days ago
- Climate
- Fast Company
Aurora borealis forecast: Northern lights may be visible in 13 states tonight. Here's the best time to see them
If you missed the northern lights, or aurora borealis over the past weekend, you're in luck—you may have a second chance tonight, Monday, June 2, when they may be visible for a second night in a row in some U.S. states across the country. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts the next possibility of viewing is Monday night into early Tuesday, with the most intense activity across Canada and Alaska and the northern U.S. states. This aurora borealis is the result of a geomagnetic storm that occurs when a coronal mass ejection (CME), an eruption of solar material, reaches Earth and causes swaths of blue, green, and purple in the sky. This year's increased solar activity is likely the result of an 11-year sun cycle peaking through October. Where and when will the northern lights be visible tonight? While NOAA predicts Alaska is the best U.S. state to potentially view the aurora tonight, 'The other states that are best positioned are the northern Midwest states from Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan,' Alex Gianninas, an astronomy professor at Connecticut College told Newsweek.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Northern Lights May Be Seen Tonight From Over 13 States—How You Can Watch
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Stargazers are in for a treat as the northern lights will be visible from up to 13 states tonight, June 2. A geomagnetic storm, caused by coronal mass ejection (CME), is heading towards Earth, which can trigger the phenomenon of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. Astronomer professor Alex Gianninas of Connecticut College, explained to Newsweek: "We are currently in the peak of the current solar cycle, Solar Cycle 25, and so increased activity at the surface of the Sun is normal. This includes geomagnetic storms that cause the Sun to expel large quantities of charged particles. "If those are directed towards the Earth, then once they get here, the Earth's magnetic field channels them down towards both the North and South poles and when they hit the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere produce the beautiful Aurora that we see." The northern lights—also known as the aurora borealis—form when particles from the solar wind excite atoms in the Earth's upper atmosphere, causing them to glow. Aurorae manifest as curtains of light that trace the geomagnetic field lines and can vary in color depending on the species of atom being excited. The lights can appear in a variety of colors, from green and blue to purple, pink and red, depending on the type of gas that is hit, and where in the atmosphere that gas is located, according to NASA. A map showing an Aurora viewline for the night of June 2. A map showing an Aurora viewline for the night of June 2. SWPC NOAA Which states will be able to see the northern lights tonight? According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, the aurora will be most intense across Canada and Alaska tonight. But, as Gianninas told Newsweek: "Besides Alaska, which is going to be the best place to potentially see the aurora tonight, the other states that are best positioned are the Northern Midwest states from Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. "The northernmost parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine might also be able to witness the aurora." How to watch the Northern Lights in your state Aurora are not visible during daylight hours, and the best time to be observed from Earth is just after sunset or just before sunrise. It also does not need to be directly overhead, but can be viewed from as far as 621 miles away if conditions are right. Gianninas said: "Precise timing is hard to predict, but obviously it needs to be after sundown, when it's dark, as far away from bright city lights as possible, and Mother Nature also has to cooperate and it's got to be clear skies in order to see the aurora." Optimal Northern Lights Viewing Window by Region (Local Time) Sunset times on June 2 for the states with a chance of seeing the northern lights are as follows, in local time: Anchorage, Alaska: 23:22 Olympia, Washington: 21:00 Boise, Idaho: 21:20 Helena, Montana: 21:15 Pierre, South Dakota: 21:19 Bismarck, North Dakota: 21:30 Saint Paul, Minnesota: 20:53 Madison, Wisconsin: 20:30 Lansing, Michigan: 21:10 Albany, New York: 20:27 Montpelier, Vermont: 20:28 Concord, New Hampshire: 20:20 Augusta, Maine: 20:17 Image of stargazers viewing the northern lights in Edinburgh, UK, during a geomagnetic storm. Image of stargazers viewing the northern lights in Edinburgh, UK, during a geomagnetic night of June 3 also offers opportunities to see the Aurora, but it is projected to be less intense than the night before. As Gianninas told Newsweek: "With this increased activity, we have a reasonable expectation to see more auroral activity for many months to come." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about space? Let us know via science@
Newsweek
06-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
How To See May's Flower Moon Next Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The night sky will be putting on a dazzling display next week as May's Flower Moon rises, giving spring a touch of cosmic enchantment. Here's how to catch it at its brightest. Reaching its peak at 12:57 p.m. EDT on May 12, the Flower Moon, which is the second full moon of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, will be best visible as it rises at moon-rise, during dusk. But don't worry if you can't catch it at the exact right time! It will also appear full and bright on the nights of May 11 and May 13, making for plenty of opportunity to enjoy this celestial phenomena. A stock image shows a full moon with flowers silhouette in the night. A stock image shows a full moon with flowers silhouette in the night. getty images Where to see the Flower Moon in May To fully enjoy the Flower Moon, a place with minimal light pollution offers the best visibility. Stargazers are recommended to find an elevated location, ideally an open field, or a quiet coastline with a clear view of the eastern horizon. While the naked eye works for this annual lunar event, binoculars or a small telescope can offer a better view of the satellite's craters. The exact best time to see the Flower Moon at its brightest varies depending on your location in the world. A moon-rise calculator can be helpful in identifying the best time to witness this phenomenon wherever you are. In New York, moon-rise on the 12th of May will be around 8:31 p.m. EDT. In Los Angeles, meanwhile, it will be at 8:15 p.m. PDT. May's Flower Moon will be a Micro-moon This year's Flower Moon will appear slightly smaller than usual because it's a "micro-moon"—the opposite of a "super-moon." The technical term for this is an apogee full moon, which happens when the moon is at its farthest point from Earth in its elliptical orbit. This year, the Flower Moon will coincide closely with the apogee, making it about 251,828 miles away instead of 238,855 miles. Origins of the name Connecticut College astronomer professor Alex Gianninas previously told Newsweek that the Flower Moon takes its name from the obvious connection with flowers blooming at this time of year. "However, some Native American names for the full moon in May include the Egg Laying Moon and Planting Moon." The lunar event occurs each May on a different date. Last year, it was on May 23, and appeared full for around three days. A stock image shows a photographer taking pictures of the moon. A stock image shows a photographer taking pictures of the moon. getty images How to Photograph the Moon Photographing the moon can be challenging if you don't have the right equipment. Award-winning Hungarian astro-photographer Rafael Schmall previously told Newsweek that he recommends using DSLR or mirror-less cameras when capturing the moon. He added that some bridge cameras with powerful zoom lenses are also capable of shooting the rising or setting moon. A light but strong tripod is also necessary. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the moon? Let us know via science@
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Having this means we matter'
New London — When John Sharon arrived at his Connecticut College dorm in August 1982, he had the distinction of being only the second physically disabled student enrolled in the school's history. 'The first student was here in the late 1960s and I was told she used a walker to get around,' said Sharon, a 61-year-old North Carolina school administrator who was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, a rare condition that affects his muscles and bones. On Tuesday, Sharon adjusted his leg braces and sat down on a cushioned chair inside the college's new Disability Cultural Center ahead of a grand opening ceremony later in the day. As he looked around at student artwork, blue-trimmed windows and a wide entryway, Sharon compared the amenities to his time on campus, well before federal disabilities requirements were in place and accessibility was a foreign concept — even to him. 'It wasn't until a friend mentioned the idea of accessibility that I really looked around,' he said. 'And the more I looked, the more I saw. And I got mad. But I know anger would just shut down conversations about what was needed. So Sharon channeled his outrage about a lack of elevators, too many steps and too few ramps into activism. About a year later, he and some friends hosted the college's first disability awareness week complete with student volunteers spending a week in wheelchairs loaned by a local pharmacy. 'So, my mind is blown being here,' he said, looking around the center. 'It's gratifying.' From beer pong to a "place of belonging" Discussions over a disability center began about two years ago at the urging of students seeking a dedicated space to call their own, said Jillian Heilman, the college's director of student accessibility services. Heilman noted the campus already boasted similar centers for LGBTQ+, Muslim and Jewish students along with a sexual violence prevention and advocacy group. 'These are spaces where events can be hosted and students can feel at home,' she said, adding the center had a soft opening over the fall. The college was able to convert a former dorm room and quad area inside the Smith House dormitory into new office and center spaces by stripping out old carpets, repainting walls, widening doors and generally airing out the rooms. 'This used to be a men's quad and when we walked in last year, it still smelled like stale beer — the rumor mill says the room had a beer pong table,' Heilman said, pointing out puzzle tables and book stacked near a microwave and refrigerator. 'Now it's a place of belonging.' Becca Bachenheimer, a 21-year-old junior from New York's Westchester County, is a center volunteer who works to keep the area welcoming, from ensuring lighting, temperature and sound levels are kept correct to answering guests' questions. Bachenheimer, who suffers from chronic pain and movement issues, said students with her challenges can find traditional study and social spaces uncomfortable. 'It's calming and quiet here, but it's still a place to meet with other students,' she said. Heilman said about 500 of the college's 2,000 students have registered with a disability with her office. Those disabilities range from physical issues — mobility, sight and hearing — to those related to mental health or neurodivergent diagnosis. Intention, not afterthought Anna Vredevoogd, 21, of Chelmsford, Mass., who uses a wheelchair to navigate around campus, helped spearhead the student push for a new center. 'Having this means we matter, that disability culture is important to the college,' said Vredevoogd, co-president of the school's Disability Affinity Club. Vredevoogd said a big challenge for disabled students is finding and connecting with peers sharing similar backgrounds and experiences, a problem other disabled students said they also faced. "When I first came here, I had a hard time finding anyone else like me and now disabled people — and their allies — can come right in," she said. "My hope is the changes made by this class will give the next class of disabled students an easier time here. Alex Eikinas, a 21-year-old immunocompromised junior with arthritis and mobility issues, said too often accessible spaces are afterthoughts, places cobbled together without vision. 'This place was intentionally made, though,' Eikinas said. 'It's a place to meet with friends, to get advice and be our authentic selves. If you have a place like this, a community forms. And community is the backbone of change.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New London County tick populations continue to grow
Ticks that can spread diseases that afflict people, including Lyme disease, continue to proliferate in Connecticut, the latest findings from a multiyear tick surveillance program show. On Monday, the New Haven-based Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station's Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases released results of the program's analysis of more than 4,000 ticks collected during the spring, summer and fall of 2024 in 40 locations across the state's eight counties. The ticks were tested for organisms that cause five human diseases, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, hard tick relapsing fever and Powassan virus. The vast majority of the ticks collected were blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, which can spread Lyme disease, followed by longhorned ticks, American dog ticks and lone star ticks. Two of the species — longhorned ticks and lone star ticks — were identified in Fairfield, Middlesex, New Haven and New London counties. When the surveillance program was launched in 2019, the two species were only detected in Fairfield and New London counties. New London County reported the highest average adult blacklegged tick density of 83 ticks per acre as well as the highest density of blacklegged tick nymphs of 25 ticks per acre. Statewide, 54% of adult female blacklegged ticks and 23% of nymphs were found to be infected with Lyme disease. In New London County, the prevalence of infection was 60% of adults and 25% of nymphs. New London County's sampling sites are located at Bluff Point State Park in Groton; Hopeville Pond State Park in Jewett City; Franklin Swamp in North Franklin; Lord Cove, a tidal marsh in Lyme; and on Connecticut College property in Quaker Hill. 'The spread of lone star and longhorned ticks in Connecticut, along with increasing blacklegged tick populations, highlights the importance of continued tick surveillance,' said Megan Linske, a vector ecologist specializing in tick-host-habitat dynamics at CAES. 'Residents should take routine precautions and check for ticks after being outdoors.' To minimize exposure to tick bites and reduce the risk of tickborne diseases, CAES recommends people: • Stay on established trails and avoid bushy or wooded areas. • Conduct routine tick checks after outdoor activities. • Wear long sleeves, pants, and light-colored, tightly woven clothing. • Tuck pant legs into socks when hiking in tick habitats. • Wear clothing treated with permethrin, a medication and insecticide, to repel and kill ticks.
