Prime Highlights:

• There will be a moderate (G2-class) geomagnetic storm on June 14–15, and it might be visible to auroras as far south as Idaho and New York.
• The storm is due to a high-speed solar wind stream from a coronal hole on the Sun.

Key Facts:

• The Kp index should be about 5 to 6, with higher chances of aurora being seen in most locations.
• The optimum viewing will be in dark, cloud-free areas in the evening or early morning.
• There is no special equipment required; smartphones using night mode can be utilized to capture the lights.

Key Background

The stunning and enigmatic northern lights, or aurora borealis, are phenomena that take place when the sun’s charged particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. The celestial spectacle of light is usually visible around the polar regions, but the anticipated geomagnetic storm on June 14 evening into June 15 early morning would push these lights south of the location where they are typically seen.

NOAA has issued a watch for a G2-level geomagnetic storm. The warning comes from a high-speed stream of solar wind coming towards Earth from a coronal hole—a zone on the surface of the Sun where magnetic fields are reduced, enabling solar material to more easily escape into space.

When that solar wind stream strikes Earth’s magnetic field, it amplifies geomagnetic activity, which is quantified on the Kp index. A value of 5 means a moderate storm, and values of 6 can cause auroras to be visible in areas of the United States normally invisible to them, like New York and Idaho. How clearly visible will depend on how intense the storm is and how cooperative the local weather is.

To observe the aurora, professionals advise going to dark sites with little light pollution. The most favorable times for observations are shortly before sunrise or shortly after sunset, when the sky is at its darkest. Although a human eye cannot perceive the entire spectrum of colors of auroras, a night mode in a smartphone can quite often photograph their bright greens and purples.

This form of geomagnetic storm is different from a coronal mass ejection (CME) or solar flare. Rather than being an immediate flash, it will be fueled by a constant stream of solar wind. This provides us with a better chance to view and enhances the likelihood of viewing the auroras across a number of regions.

Sky watchers and photographers in the northern U.S. are invited to stay current with in-area weather and watch real-time geomagnetic activity in an attempt to witness this extraordinary, rare event.

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