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Seek! The Northern Lights Could Be Visible in the US Tonight: Here’s Where to See Them
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Seek! The Northern Lights Could Be Visible in the US Tonight: Here’s Where to See Them

Northern Lights activity continues with potential sightings in tonight’s sky.

Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon/Getty ImagesNoppawat Tom Charoensinphon/Getty Images

Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon/Getty Images

There have been many opportunities to view the Northern Lights this year. But if you haven’t gotten a taste of it yet, you might get another chance to do so tonight. THE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center (NOAA) predicts that the Northern Lights will be visible across the United States on Tuesday, November 12.

The agency forecasts a Kp index of four out of nine on Tuesday evening. The Kp number is a numerical scale that describes geomagnetic activity and is calculated by averaging magnetic activity globally every three hours. Anything rated above a Kp 5 is considered a geomagnetic storm.

Related: Don’t miss November’s Leonid meteor shower, a celestial spectacle that once produced 100,000 shooting stars

Canada and Alaska will have the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights tonight, according to NOAA. Other parts of the United States, including Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota, can also see the Northern Lights, but the chances are relatively low.

The Northern Lights are created by magnetic storms triggered by solar activity. Energy-charged particles from these storms are carried away from the sun by solar winds. When the particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen particles. As the air particles lose the energy gained from the collision, each atom glows a different color.

To view the celestial phenomenon, NOAA recommends going to a location with a high vantage point, away from city lights. If positioned well, stargazers can see the northern lights even when they are about 600 miles further north. The best auroral activity is usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.