Are you feeling a little scared about Friday after seeing endless photos of the auroras on Thursday night? Here's how you can prepare for next time, and a prediction for when next time might happen, which could be as soon as tonight's encore.
What are auroras?
The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are the result of charged particles from the sun reaching the Earth's atmosphere, creating geomagnetic storms when they hit the Earth's magnetic field. The particles are then redirected to Earth's poles, creating a dazzling display of color.
Typically, such light displays are limited to high latitudes. But in 2024, the Northern Lights reached further south multiple times, including as far away as the Florida Keys. Therefore, it is a rare phenomenon and for many people, seeing the aurora is on their bucket list.
Why do some people see the auroras in Maryland and others don't?
There are many reasons: timing, clouds, light pollution, luck, cell phones, eyesight (have you had your eyes checked recently?) but the main one is probably timing, followed by surroundings – basically how far away you are. of light. Also, if you rely on the naked eye, don't do this. Use a camera phone – it's more sensitive to light and should be able to capture the faintest auroras that humans can't see.
The most important thing about viewing auroras in our area is the intensity of the storm. Not every outbreak reaches the southern United States, and it doesn't often reach Maryland. When a geomagnetic storm does occur, predicting its arrival can be tricky: The sun is 92.49 million miles away from Earth, leaving the estimated time of arrival up in the air.
Also, know that the Northern Lights can arrive in pulses – they can be seen for an hour or fifteen minutes, then disappear, only to reappear two hours later with more color and brightness. Thursday night's storm could peak in the mid-Atlantic around 10 p.m. Patience is key.
How do I know when the aurora will be visible again?
So you need to pay attention to space weather forecasts. Seriously. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates the Space Weather Prediction Center, which provides predictions about solar storms, including when they will reach Earth and whether they will be powerful enough to be observed.
The website (swpc.noaa.gov) provides a map showing where aurora are most likely to appear. Maryland residents will also pay attention to the Kp index, which measures the intensity of geomagnetic or solar storms. In our area we usually need a severe storm to reach our latitude, at least G4, with a Kp of at least 7 or 8, although there are reports of seeing slightly lower category storms.
Can I try again tonight?
According to SWPC's predictions, the answer is possible. While a geomagnetic storm is expected, it may not be strong enough to watch in Maryland tonight. But we never want to stop looking at the sky – our Milky Way is amazing – so why not take a look at it on your way out tonight.
Why does this have to be so complicated?
Science is hard. We're not even sure if we're doing it right.
Have a news tip? Contact Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at nzimmerman@baltsun.com and 240-741-9915.
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