Aurora could be visible in these nine states this evening

Key facts

Where will northern lights be visible?

The Aurora could be visible in certain states along the American Canadian border, according to Noaa forecasters. These include Washington, northern Idaho, most of the Montana, Northern Dakota and certain parts of the southern Dakota. The lights could also be visible from a large part of the Upper Midwest, including the parts of northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Most Alaska is also located in the light line for lights.

What is the best way to see the northern lights?

Potential viewers of the North should travel north, towards the Magnetic North Pole of the Earth, say the experts of the NOAA. Travel from the city lights and find a point of view with a clear view to the north. Aurora is the most active in the hours just before and after midnight, viewers should therefore aim to see the lights between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

What is the best way to photograph the Northern Lights?

Experts who spoke to National Geographic recommend viewers should always bring a tripod to stabilize your equipment for the time necessary to capture images from the night sky. If you use a camera, pack a wide angle lens or a lens with an opening of 4.0 or more. Smartphone cameras can also capture images of the Aurora, but work better after deactivating Flash and switching to night mode.

What are coronal mass ejections?

Coronal mass ejections are plasma versions of the sun which are stronger than normal solar winds. This material can cause geomagnetic storms when it interacts with the magnetic field of the earth, but the storm predicted by the forecastists for Monday is minor – one G1 out of five on the Noaa scale measuring the storm force. G1 storms can always cause minor impacts on satellites and low fluctuations in the electrical network, as well as the northern lights appear in more parts of the United States.