While a minor geomagnetic storm caused by a coronal hole is expected to hit Earth during Valentine's Day weekend, space weather scientists warn that the chances of seeing the aurora borealis are slim due to the bright moon and the storm's low intensity. The auroras are likely to be faint and may not be visible to the naked eye.
During Valentine's Day weekend, northern parts of America, including Maine, may have a chance of seeing an aurora. But space weather scientists warn that the chances of this happening are slim.The aurora borealis, commonly called the northern lights, illuminate the sky over a horse pasture in Mercer, Maine on May 10, 2024.
Some Americans may get a special treat during the Valentine's Day weekend if the northern lights illuminate the night sky with a hint of romance. While it's possible this could happen, space weather scientists warn the chances are slim., also known as aurora borealis, may be visible across parts of North America starting Friday night, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center .— a dark area in the Sun's corona that allows wind to escape into space at high speed — is heading toward Earth and is expected to cause a minor geomagnetic storm through Saturday., which are bursts of magnetic field and plasma from the Sun's outer atmosphere, according to Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist with the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. As a result, any visible auroras will likely be faint and possibly unnoticeable to the naked eye because of competition from a bright moon. "It won't drive the aurora very far southwards in the Northern Hemisphere. And because it's a more minor storm you're not expecting things to be as vivid, particularly with the nearly full moon sitting out there," Steenburgh tells NPR."All these things combined kind of weigh against seeing anything really spectacular where we are now."But don't be too disappointed. Catching a glimpse of an aurora is a"game of chance" and skygazers should be patient,And since the sun's current solar cycle has reached its peak and is producing major solar storms, there will be more opportunities to see another aurora in the future. To increase your chances of viewing an aurora, find a location away from city lights where it is very dark, and look to the north. A cellphone camera may also help to capture colorful surprises that aren't visible to the naked eye. "It's always worth it, even if you're not seeing it with your naked eye, go ahead and take a picture. See if your camera's picking anything up," Steenburgh says.
AURORA BOREALIS SPACE WEATHER CORONAL HOLE GEOMAGNETIC STORM NORTHERN LIGHTS
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