Thursday, October 10, 2024

Ideal viewing conditions for the Northern Lights Thursday

 The Northern Lights may be visible across much of the country Thursday evening/night, including here in the Stateline. Little to no cloud cover will allow an unimpeded view of the sky, including any aurora that may be present.

The latest forecasts show the viewing line may be quite South, with the possibility of seeing the aurora directly overhead here locally. For latest forecasts, visit the Space Weather Prediction Center's website (https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/).

Here's an example of the Northern Lights from this past Sunday, courtesy of our very own Joey Marino.

If you want to view the lights yourself, here are a few tips: Be sure to get away from city lights, as light pollution often washes out the color. Secondly, look to the North along the horizon for any shimmering in the sky. The lights likely won't be visible to the naked eye, but sometimes you can see the faint lights dancing. Better viewing will be with a camera set to long exposure. This can even include a cell phone camera. You will want to prop the camera up on a tripod to keep it the steadiest. Set the exposure anywhere from 3-10 seconds to allow more light into the image.

If you plan to head out to view the lights, be sure to bundle up, as it will get a little chilly overnight with temperatures dropping to the mid and upper 40s under the clear skies.

No comments:

Post a Comment