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New York Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Where Were the Northern Lights We Were Promised?
The forecast looked promising for the northern lights to be visible across much of the United States on Sunday night. From Michigan to Washington State and as far south as Alabama, people expected to be able to look up and see a light show, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But the geomagnetic storm that was expected to make the lights visible across such a wide swath of the country weakened, and instead of a light show, many got a lesson in how storms can change course. Sometimes the storms come as predicted, and sometimes the forecast changes. What happened on Sunday night? The northern lights display, also known as the aurora borealis, is set off by geomagnetic storms, which are caused by coronal mass ejections, or eruptions of materials on the sun's surface. On Sunday morning, the storm forecast for Sunday night was rated as severe enough for people to start chasing the aurora borealis. Some people in northern Europe, Wyoming and Canada did report seeing the northern lights on Sunday night. But the storm weakened, disappointing people elsewhere who had hoped to see a show. The magnetic orientation of a geomagnetic storm can change 'in a minute's notice,' and the energy transfer can become less efficient, said Lt. Cmdr. Bryan R. Brasher, a project manager at the Space Weather Prediction Center at NOAA. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Science
- Associated Press
One Tech Tip: How to use your smartphone to photograph the Northern Lights
LONDON (AP) — People in parts of the U.S. may be able to see Northern lights Monday night — or at least use a smartphone's camera to reveal hints of the aurora not visible to the naked eye. Space weather forecasters issued a rare, severe solar storm alert on Sunday after the sun let out a huge burst of energy called a coronal mass ejection last week. Another one headed toward Earth on Monday could produce more aurora sightings and with it, more social media posts of the majestic spectacle. If you plan to head outside after sunset to look for the lights, and photograph them, there are things you can do to make sure you get the best shot. First, though, try to find a quiet, dark area away from light pollution and check the weather forecast — clouds can cover up the aurora borealis. As for equipment, ideally, you should use a DSLR camera because its manual controls give you lots of control, and a tripod to hold it steady. But many people won't have this sort of equipment. But if you've only got a smartphone, you can still take great photos of the night skies. Here are some tips on how to shoot the Northern Lights: A good setup Before fiddling with your phone, take a few other steps to improve your chances of getting a good shot. First, dim your screen. A bright screen can hurt your night vision and both others nearby. Even if you don't have a tripod, it's best not to hold your phone with your hands while shooting at night because there's a good chance the picture will turn out blurry. Find something to rest your device against, like a hat, a book or even just the ground. Of course, check the forecast because auroras are best seen in clear skies. Find a dark spot, away from city lights and look north. Also, consider going horizontal instead of vertical to capture a wider image. Tips for the iPhone First, turn off your phone's flash. It's usually marked by the lightning bolt symbol in the corner of the screen. Next, use Night Mode, which is found on iPhone 11 and newer models. It usually turns on automatically in low light. You can tell it's on because a circular icon with a crescent moon will appear in the top left corner of the screen. For night shots, a longer exposure is better because there's more time for light to hit the lens. Apple says Night Mode's exposure length is normally determined automatically, but you can still experiment with manual controls. To get to the controls, tap the arrow at the top of the camera screen, which will bring up a row of controls at the bottom. Tap find the exposure icon, which is the same crescent moon symbol as the Night Mode icon. A slider will come up, which you can drag left or right to choose between Auto and Max timer settings. Max will give you the longest exposure time. Whichever setting you choose, it will be remembered for the next time. Then, tap the shutter button to take your shot. Better yet, turn on the countdown timer. The delay gives you time to move away and reduces the chance any movement from your finger will affect the shot. If you are going handheld, and the iPhone detects movement in the frame, it will display crosshairs. Try to keep them lined up to minimize any motion that can ruin the shot. Tips for Android devices There are similar night and astrophotography modes available on most Android devices. On Pixel phones, tap the Night Sight setting at the bottom of the screen. If you're using a tripod, the astrophotography setting will come up automatically once the phone has detected that it is still and ready, according to Google's online guide. Now you can press the shutter, which will trigger a five-second countdown timer before the phone starts taking a long exposure of up to four minutes. If you don't have a tripod, you'll have to activate the astro mode by tapping the crescent moon icon and swiping the slider. You'll still get a five-second timer when you hit the shutter, which Google says 'allows you to place your phone down on a steady surface facing the sky.' Then the phone will play a sound to let you know it's done. Newer Samsung phones can access an astrophoto mode, but users will have to download the company's free Expert Raw camera app to get it. Use a third-party app If you feel like you need some outside assistance for your snapshots, tourist boards and other outfits from some Nordic countries have suggestions for you. Iceland Air, for instance, has a blog entry on the best apps for taking pictures of the Northern lights, including the Northern Lights Photo Taker, which costs 99 cents to download and 'does exactly what it says,' according to the post. Inspired by Iceland lists additional apps to try, especially if your default camera lacks manual controls. These include NightCap Camera, ProCamera, and Slow Shutter for iOS. For Android, ProCam X Lite is a good choice. Visit Norway suggests similar camera replacement apps, but notes that you should test them before you go to see what works best for you and the type of phone you have. ___ AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed from San Francisco. Is there a tech topic that you think needs explaining? Write to us at [email protected] with your suggestions for future editions of One Tech Tip.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Could you see the northern lights over RI, New England tonight? It's possible. See map
The northern lights may be visible over a large swath of New England tonight due to a large geomagnetic storm, possibly even dipping into northern Rhode Island. "The G4 (Severe) geomagnetic storm watch remains in effect for tonight, June 1st (EDT), as CME passage continues," the Space Weather Prediction Center said in a 2 p.m. alert on June 1. "There are indications that the coronal mass ejection (CME) passage is weakening, but the solar wind conditions remain elevated, therefore additional periods of G3-G4 (Strong-Severe) levels remain possible. However, we now anticipate that conditions should weaken enough by tomorrow evening, June 2nd (EDT), that G1 (Minor) storm levels is the most likely peak response." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center prediction map is showing that all of New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont have a chance to see the spectacle tonight, including a large chunk of Massachusetts. The possible view line is just touching Rhode Island, meaning there's a chance that people will see them. The question is, will the weather cooperate? AccuWeather is currently forecasting partly cloudy skies, so if the lights reach it's possible cloud cover will be a problem. The sun is currently at solar maximum, according to NASA, the peak of activity in its natural cycle, which is creating more opportunities to see the northern lights. Here's what to know. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) aurora forecast, the northern lights may reach to Rhode Island tonight, but only in the northern tip of the state. However, odds improve if people make a trip to Massachusetts where much of the state is firmly in the view line, and become even better in northern New England and New York. The northern lights are typically most visible between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. according to NOAA. "Best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 PM and 2 AM local time)," the said. "These hours of active aurora expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. There may be aurora in the evening and morning but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing." As always, dark skies make for better stargazing. "We typically suggest getting away from cities and find a open field or hilltop to lay out under the stars and wait for the show to really peak at the late evening or early morning hours," Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technical Instructor and Observatory Manager Tim Brothers said in a past interview with Wicked Local. He continued, "In New England, heading for a local conservation area or park that keeps lighting off at night is ideal. Another option is a coastline away from the larger cities — the benefit being that the constellation where you will see most of the 'shooting stars.'" If you want a chance at seeing the Northern Lights, here are some websites you can monitor the sun's activity: The Space Weather Prediction Center Aurora forecast page (NOAA) Aurora Reach Aurora Alerts This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Severe geomagnetic storm could bring northern lights to RI. See map
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northern lights viewing Sunday ‘unlikely' in Maryland, expert says
Marylanders might have already missed their chance to see the northern lights during increased solar storm activity this weekend, according to a space weather expert. Seeing the aurora in Maryland on Sunday night is 'unlikely,' said Shawn Dahl, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, though he said there is a watch for a strong G4-level geomagnetic storm for the rest of the day and into Monday. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, form when charged particles from these storms, also known as coronal mass ejections, come into contact with Earth's upper atmosphere over the polar regions. 'After those collisions happen and things settle down, it emits light and this process continues,' Dahl said. Geomagnetic storms are measured in strength on a scale from G1 through G5, he said. There was a G4-level event early Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. from a storm that came from the sun Thursday evening, according to Dahl. That storm is still passing over Earth, he said. But the power of the geomagnetic storm, like that of a rain storm, can fluctuate. 'The level can change during the course of a storm's progression over Earth,' Dahl said. But the storm will weaken as it passes over the planet, eventually leaving it behind, he said. 'We think it's beginning to weaken now … but it still is possible we could see a G4 later this evening.' Although Dahl said it was unlikely for Marylanders to catch the phenomenon with their naked eyes Sunday night, he couldn't rule it out. The Space Weather Prediction Center is monitoring new, faint coronal mass ejections for potential arrival Monday night, but predicting the arrival time isn't exact, he said. 'We're trying to forecast something that left the sun 93 million miles away,' Dahl said. Predicting strength, arrival time and if the storms will even hit Earth is 'very hard to figure that out when you only have a couple of spacecraft that are taking pictures of the sun, but we do our best,' he said. Using this most recent storm as an example, Dahl said the Space Weather Prediction Center had initially predicted it would hit Earth in the late afternoon Sunday then adjusted the arrival time to Sunday at noon, but it actually arrived nine to 12 hours earlier, causing the visible aurora last night. Sunday night in Maryland could be even more unlikely for onlookers to spot the aurora, Dahl said, depending on the strength of the coming ejections. Nighttime clouds Sunday might also complicate local viewing attempts. Even if local stargazers don't catch the aurora Sunday, they can look forward to seeing Mercury in the western sky June 20. Later, August will bring the Perseid meteor shower, though a bright waning gibbous moon might overshadow the show. Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@ 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
A rare geomagnetic storm may bring northern lights to parts of Texas. See where
Skywatchers, take note: Heightened solar activity could bring the aurora borealis to parts of Texas this evening. A rare, severe geomagnetic storm is expected to trigger auroras, potentially making them visible to the naked eye in the northernmost areas of the state. Those farther south may still catch a glimpse using their cameras or phones. According to federal forecasters at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, past solar events of this strength have produced auroras visible as far south as the Gulf Coast. This weekend's geomagnetic storm is at G4, or severe, and is one of few storms of such magnitude since last year, when Texans got to see the spectacle as far as South Texas. The May 2024 event was the first geomagnetic storm to reach G4 magnitude since 2005. Visibility may be limited tonight for Texans, but the aurora forecast shows potential sightings as far south as the Austin-San Antonio area, and even Houston. More: Saharan dust to hit Texas just as storms clear. When to expect hazy skies in your area The auroras are a natural light display in Earth's sky that are famously best seen in high-latitude regions of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The phenomenon is caused when electrically charged particles from space enter Earth's atmosphere and collide with molecules and gases like oxygen and nitrogen, causing the atmospheric particles to gain energy. To return to their normal state, the particles release that energy in the form of light, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks Geophysical Institute website, which tracks the phenomenon. As auroras form, Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that have fascinated humans for millennia. Whether hues of green, red, blue and even pink dance about in the sky depends on the altitude where the collisions occur, as well as the composition and density of the atmosphere at the time. Active geomagnetic storm conditions may persist into early June 2, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The ongoing disturbance is driven by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that struck Earth in the early hours of June 1, combined with high-speed solar wind flowing from coronal holes. Another CME is expected to arrive late on June 2, which could extend the storm's effects, followed by a much smaller one on June 3-4, according to The June 1 solar storm, traveling at approximately 1,938 km/s (about 4.3 million mph), was unusually complex — made up of material from multiple CMEs. As a result, its impact could continue for another 24 hours, reported. "We just entered what looks to be the 'core' of the first structure," space weather physicist Tamitha Skov told "Since this storm is made up of material from several CMEs compressed into one composite structure, there's a chance we'll see more than one 'core' signature. That means the show could continue to fade gradually over the next 24 hours." While this may cause temporary disruptions to technology and electronic communications, no major impacts are expected — except for the dazzling display of the northern lights. Fortunately, Earth is shielded by its magnetic field, an invisible barrier that protects us from solar winds, according to USA TODAY. When strong solar particles interact with gases in the atmosphere near the magnetic poles, they produce the vibrant colors of auroras. This activity coincides with the sun's approach to the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum — a period marked by increased sunspots. These magnetized regions on the sun's surface occasionally release stored energy in the form of solar flares, which NASA calls the most powerful explosions in our solar system. The heightened solar activity boosts the chances of witnessing celestial phenomena like the aurora borealis, which made appearances in the U.S. several times last year. However, it could also interfere with other skywatching events, such as meteor showers. Solar flares and wind can disrupt Earth's atmosphere, potentially obscuring meteor showers expected in 2025. This weekend, residents in the northernmost parts of Texas — particularly those in the Panhandle north of Amarillo — may be able to see the Northern Lights with the naked eye. A broader area, stretching from El Paso to the Louisiana border and as far south as the Austin-San Antonio region, could still catch the display through a camera lens. In especially strong geomagnetic events, the aurora can extend even farther south. According to USA TODAY, during a major event in 1958, the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Mexico City. The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. "Go out at night," NOAA said. "And get away from city lights." The agency also maintains an aurora dashboard that should help skygazers track the phenomenon. NOAA's 30-minute aurora forecast may be particularly useful for regular updates on viewing opportunities. Fox4 meteorologist Dylan Federico shared his own tips for capturing the auroras with your phone camera. "Use 10+ second exposure on your iPhone camera Sunday night for the best chance to see the auroras," he wrote on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Aurora Borealis forecast: Will northern lights be visible in Texas?
