Northern Lights set to be visible across the US tonight after ‘strongest of it’s kind’ solar flare
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Getty/Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon/Getty/Ruicheng Yao
Locations across the US may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis tonight after a large solar flare.
The famed northern lights will be visible in one entirely localised area - the kitchen of high school principle Seymour Skinner while his boss is over for an unforgettable luncheon.
Just kidding, this isn't Steamed Hams (An Albany expression), but the lights may be visible across a number of areas in the US.
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The aurora typically happens closer towards the Earth's poles, though due to the enormous and treacherous Southern Ocean the northern ones are more easily visible.
They're more common closer to the poles due to what they are caused by.
This is an interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and charged particles coming from the Sun.
When the particles hit the Earth they are discharged towards the poles by the magnetic field.
As the concentration increases it often produces spectacular displays in the night sky, and if you're in one of these areas in the US you might just see it.
One area which will perhaps unsurprisingly see a display is Alaska, due to its northerly position.
But many parts of the contiguous states could also see some activity as well, so if the sky is clear you might just get lucky.
These include New York, Montana, Wyoming, Vermont, Iowa, Minnesota, Maine, New Hampshire, Washington, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Canada may also witness some of the lights as well.
Why is it though, that the flares will be visible so far outside of the normal range in which you might expect to see them?
Well, it's because the Sun has recently seen two solar flares one of which is in one of the largest categories.
This is an 'X-class' solar flare which was described as the 'strongest of its kind'.
The enormous burst of energy originated in a sunspot called AR3842, and measured at X7.1 on the solar flare scale.
For context just in case you're not an expert on solar flares, this makes it the second most powerful in the last seven years.
The most powerful was back in May, and clocked in at X8.7.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said that people could be treated to the sight of the northern lights if they are in the right place.
Of course, this is subject to one other rather important factor.
After all, there's no use looking at the northern lights if it's cloudy outside.