The aurora borealis continues to amaze viewers in the northern United States and Canada.
This year has been exceptional for witnessing auroras, also known as northern lights, even in regions with lower latitudes. This is due to increased electromagnetic activity as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) states that, weather permitting, the phenomenon may be visible in parts of the northern U.S. on Wednesday night, including states like Washington, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine.
Heightened solar activity can also disrupt radio transmissions on Earth.
NOAA recommends that those interested in viewing the northern lights should escape from city lights. The optimal viewing time is typically within an hour or two before or after midnight, with the best opportunities occurring around the spring and fall equinoxes, due to the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere.
By Gene Johnson
