Aurora Borealis could be seen in more states on Thanksgiving

Topline

A series of geomagnetic storms and other activity from the sun’s surface will likely pull the northern lights further south on Thanksgiving, with mild aurora activity predicted for Tuesday, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Northern Lights can be visible in states like Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota.

Getty Images

Important facts

NOAA predicted a Kp index of three on a scale of nine for Wednesday evening, meaning the northern lights will be visible further south of the North Pole and will be “quite pleasant to view” for anyone in the right areas .

According to NOAA’s three-day forecast, minor, moderate or stronger geomagnetic storms are expected on Thursday and Friday, raising the Kp index forecast for both days to five and nearly six, respectively, following a filament eruption on the sun’s surface earlier this week came.

NASA this week predicted up to 16 solar flares and 35 coronal mass ejections from the sun’s surface, including a filament flare — clouds of plasma suspended in the sun’s atmosphere — on Nov. 25 that would cause the northern lights to be pulled further south, according to NOAA.

Get text alerts on Forbes breaking news: We’re introducing SMS alerts to ensure you’re always on top of the most important news breaking the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or log in Here.

Where will the Northern Lights be visible?

One line of sight – which represents a minimal chance of seeing the northern lights – runs just below the Canadian border, while in Alaska and northern Canada the chance of seeing the aurora borealis is slim. Parts of northern Montana, North Dakota and northern Wisconsin have a low chance of seeing the phenomenon, while northeastern Oregon, northern Idaho, northeastern South Dakota and upper Michigan have an even lower chance. (See view line below.)

Line of sight on Wednesday evening.

NOAA

Where will the Northern Lights be seen on Thanksgiving?

Line of sight will drop even further south on Thursday, with a high chance of seeing auroras in northern Canada and Alaska. A low chance of seeing the Northern Lights is predicted in states along the Canadian border, including Washington, Montana, North Dakota and parts of northern Idaho, South Dakota and Upper Michigan. A lower chance of observing the phenomenon is expected in parts of Wyoming, Iowa, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

Line of sight on Thursday evening.

NOAA

What is the best way to see the Northern Lights?

NOAA recommends traveling to a high viewing point away from light pollution to see the Northern Lights, which become visible between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. local time.

What is the best way to photograph the Northern Lights?

A normal camera can capture the Northern Lights with the widest possible focus setting, a large aperture and a high ISO value. If you’re using a smartphone, the Icelandic tourism website recommends turning on night mode with a wide aperture.

Important background

More sunspots and coronal mass ejections are expected through 2025 and early 2026 as activity on the sun’s surface has reached a “solar maximum,” according to NASA. The Northern Lights are the result of bursts of magnetic energy reacting with Earth’s atmosphere, often arising from events on the Sun’s surface such as sunspots or coronal mass ejections. The colorful movement in the night sky is the result of magnetic reconnection, or the process in which magnetic fields suddenly take on new shapes like rubber bands, NASA said. This peak will make auroras more visible to more people below the Canadian border, and activity has already exceeded experts’ expectations during the sun’s 11-year cycle that began in 2019. According to NASA, the strongest auroras in 500 years may have been observed in May.