Louisiana will have the rare chance to witness the Northern Lights tonight. NOAA Space Scientist Rob Steenburgh says if you’re in a cloud-free area with minimal light pollution get ready for a show…
“I think there’s a distinct possibility that you will. We’ve had the same type of event that occurred in May. We can expect probably a shorter of activity, so it won’t extend as long.”
The phenomenon occurs when solar wind particles collide with gases in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. Due to a recent increase in solar activity, these “lights” could be visible as far south as Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Florida.
“If you’re in a cloud-free area without a lot of light pollution, so away from cities and stuff, it should be pretty easy.”
The event is triggered by a coronal mass ejection—a large burst of solar wind and magnetic fields from the sun—which could create a G4-level geomagnetic storm. While this storm could disrupt electronic equipment and communication signals, it also provides a unique opportunity for residents to view the Northern Lights. Steenburg says cameras can see the lights before our eyes can so take a picture and see what you get…
“So even if they’re not seeing something, it can be worth taking a picture just to check because the range that the camera can see in terms of wavelength is larger than what the human eye can see.”
Steenburgh says the light show starts as soon as the sun sets.
