If you’re hoping to experience the aurora on Valentine’s Day, here’s some good news for you! The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center has predicted solar G1 geomagnetic storm conditions for Thursday evening, leading to aurora displays on Earth by Friday.
According to a report by ABC News on the planetary K-index, which measures the intensity of geomagnetic storms on a scale from zero to nine, a “G1” is categorized as minor, according to NOAA.
Where will Auroras be visible in the US?
According to NOAA’s aurora viewing map, states such as Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Alaska could experience the northern lights in the coming days, provided conditions are favourable.
The report said that depending on the intensity of the solar storm, the auroras might even stretch as far south as northern Michigan and Maine.
How Auroras are formed?
Auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights, are formed when charged particles from the Sun, mainly electrons and protons, interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.
Solar Wind: The Sun constantly releases a stream of charged particles called the solar wind. When solar activity increases, such as during a solar flare or coronal mass ejection, a large number of these particles are sent toward Earth.
Auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights, are formed when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field.
Magnetic Field Interaction: As the solar wind reaches Earth, the planet’s magnetic field (the magnetosphere) channels these particles toward the poles, where the magnetic field lines converge.
According to NOAA, the most recent geomagnetic storm will be primarily driven by a high solar wind event. This same solar wind event also triggered a previous G1 storm on Sunday, the report said.
