One (and perhaps the only perk) of it getting dark at 4:30 p.m. is that there’s ample time for stargazing, and this week, sky-watchers may get an early Christmas present from the universe. As a result of a geomagnetic storm, the northern lights will potentially be visible to more people than normal, and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has issued geomagnetic storm watches for Thursday night.
While an appearance by the lights is forecasted, it’s unclear whether they will actually be visible, as similar forecasts for Wednesday night did not result in the expected display. The SWPC currently has a 30-minute auroral prediction map running that provides estimates for geomagnetic storms up to the maximum level of Kp = 9. The Planetary K Index for the current storm is estimated at 7 out of 9 with G3 storm levels, and the northern lights could potentially be visible as far south as Oregon, Idaho, Illinois, Pennsylvania and New York as well as in more northern states like Montana, Michigan, New Hampshire and Maine.
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Watching and waiting now for our solar storm.
I think we’ll have to get real lucky to see aurora this far south, but here is the typical Kp=7 map across the United States. Locations in green have a shot at seeing aurora to the north when the planetary K-index increases. pic.twitter.com/UnpJIcOQbG
— Space Weather Watch (@spacewxwatch) December 9, 2020
The best conditions to view the aurora borealis are away from city lights with clear skies and a view low down to the horizon towards the north. The northern lights most commonly appear as green, but may also take on other hues including blue, pink and purple. In addition to creating the aurora, a geomagnetic storm can also disrupt communications systems, meaning there’s potential for static on radio stations or issues with other electronic equipment.
The sun recently began a new cycle of activity after a several-month hiatus, and on Dec. 7, a solar flare and Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) sent plasma and magnetic field toward earth. One result of that activity will be the aurora borealis’ increased visibility due to the strength of the storm. This is because incoming solar particles and magnetic fields will force the release of particles already trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, which will create photons of light activated by oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the upper atmosphere.
In addition to the northern lights, December will also give stargazers an opportunity to witness other celestial events including the Geminid meteor shower, which peaks next week, and the great conjunction on Dec. 21, when Jupiter and Saturn will make their closest visible approach to Earth since the Middle Ages.
