The northern lights are a bucket-list item for most travelers. The gorgeous spectacle is said to be breathtaking, and it's a spiritual experience for many lucky enough to see them in person. Because the multicolored lights of Aurora Borealis are typically confined to parts of Alaska, actually getting the opportunity to see them is somewhat rare for residents outside the region. That is, until recently.
Once in a blue moon, the lights extend their reach to other parts of the world due to shifts in space weather. The effects of those shifts can create rare opportunities to enjoy the haunting beauty of the northern lights from the comfort of your own backyard — if you live in the right spot.
Will you be lucky enough to benefit from the geomagnetic storm that’s sharing Aurora Borealis with the south? If you're living in the U.S and Canada, keep your eyes peeled...
The northern lights are an otherworldly experience.
The phenomenon, also known as Aurora Borealis, is actually created by bursting sunspots that push solar wind through our solar system.
The charged particles then enter the Earth’s atmosphere.
The collision creates what looks like a magical display of dancing purple and green lights across the sky.
It’s something most want to see in person at least once in their lives.
But the extraordinary event can typically only be seen in certain parts of Alaska, which can be a trek for travelers outside the often inclement region.
The northern lights have been known to move down southward.
And we don’t mean just Alaska. https://t.co/DoZwfD8nrx— matadornetwork (@matadornetwork)1551294079.0
What makes a northern light appear in the south?
The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued a G1 geomagnetic storm alert for the night of January 23 "due… https://t.co/ZiPYaWXFtl— Lizzie of Earth 🌻 (@Lizzie of Earth 🌻)1548293059.0
A coronal hole is pushing solar winds toward Earth at higher speeds.
Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center. UPDATED 2019 January 27 0030… https://t.co/pH1nHBeAMa— Daystar Filters (@Daystar Filters)1548591883.0
A forecast from the SWPC predicted that February 27th of this year was the only time the northern lights would be visible outside Alaska for a while.
The skies are clearing, hoping for Northern Lights tonight 🤞 https://t.co/bwYrlbLxhd— Linda Culling (@Linda Culling)1550681116.0
But it seems that the U.S. and Canada are in for another treat today...
An explosion of solar energy hit part of Earth Wednesday night (last night), which sparked aurora borealis activity in parts of Canada and the United States.
It started at around 4 pm ET...
And it is expected to last around 24 hours, with peak times being recorded at 10 pm - 1 am ET.
The beauty of Mother Nature...
This stunning display was created by space particles from a minor geomagnetic storm, which enters our planet’s ozone layer and illuminates the night sky.
It was only limited to certain areas...
According to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, "Weather permitting, highly active auroral displays were visible overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit to Juneau, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Sept-Iles in Canada."Canada wasn't the only country lucky enough to witness this phenomenon...
It was also reported that there was low visibility on the horizon from Seattle, Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and Halifax across the U.S.