Aurora Borealis Forecast: Northern Lights Displays Possible Tonight

High Solar Activity Increases Aurora Visibility

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural light display that occurs in the sky, primarily in the high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic. It is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere. These particles are drawn to the Earth's magnetic poles, and the interaction creates a colorful array of light that can be seen in the night sky.

Moderate Activity Expected

According to the OVATION model, which provides a 30 to 90-minute forecast of the location and intensity of the aurora, activity is currently moderately low. However, weather permitting, northern lights displays could be visible directly overhead in some northern locations.

The best time to see the aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight, between 10:00 pm and 1:00 am. Tonight and tomorrow night, the charts below provide a prediction of the auroras visibility.