Local News
The aurora borealis, caused by coronal mass ejections from the sun, will likely be visible over North America on Thursday night.
The Northern Lights appear over the Boston skyline in October 2024. Stan Grossfeld/The Boston Globe
New England residents who stay up late Thursday might be able to catch a glimpse of the northern lights in the night sky.
The aurora borealis is predicted to appear over North America from Thursday night into Friday morning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). If the conditions are right and the aurora is bright enough, it can be viewed from as far as 1000 kilometers away.
Aurora can often be observed just after sunset and just before sunrise, but peak viewing hours will be between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. this time around, The Boston Globe reported. However, skygazers in the city should try to avoid areas with sources of light pollution.
The lights are expected to appear due to three coronal mass ejections from the sun that were released Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Globe. Since the geomagnetic storms they will cause are relatively strong, the northern lights may be visible directly overhead.
Even if the aurora appears as forecast, its brilliant colors might not be visible to the naked eye right away. Camera sensors are usually much better at picking up the aurora’s light, so watchers hoping to spot it will want to bring their smartphones, according to the Globe.
The aurora will be most visible Thursday night, but there’s a chance it will appear again Friday night, according to the NOAA. If you’re dying to see it, though, Thursday’s peak darkness hours will be your best bet.
The northern lights were especially bright last November, and Boston.com readers later shared their best shots of the sky. With enough luck, New Englanders will be able to do the same again this week.
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