Posted in Illinois Nature December 10, 2020

The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Illinois This Week Due To A Solar Storm

The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, is a magical natural phenomenon of dazzling colorful lights that seem to trip the light fantastic beyond the sky. To run across the northern lights in person is otherworldly, transfixing those who witness it, especially for the first time. Due to a powerful solar storm, residents of Illinois may be treated to a natural light show in the sky, although they might but exist visible in the northern parts of the state.

During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.

Northern lights are a more common occurrence in the Arctic Circle. They do not occur that often, at least non to this magnitude, in the U.s.. If you are in an area where yous can run into the aurora, do yourself a favor and go outside to marvel at this natural phenomenon.

Northern Lights

As the sun enters a new 11-year cycle, things get a little tumultuous on the surface, hurtling plasma particles, or solar wind, into space.

Sun With Solar Flares

If the solar wind hits the Earth'due south surface, it can cause beautiful bands of colors in the heaven known every bit the Northern Lights.

Solar Flare Sun

If you are lucky enough to witness the Northern Lights, they will almost likely be green, the most common colour. When solar activity is at a high, bands of purple, bluish, pinkish, and yellow may also be seen.

Northern Lights

With an uptick in space weather condition activeness, we may end upwards seeing more auroras in the future. Solar storms, however, can impact GPS and satellites, so the functionality of our electronics may go a little haywire over the next several days.

For the all-time visibility, at that place will accept to exist a cloudless sky and you volition have to get away from city lights. And to photograph the Aurora Borealis successfully, place your camera on a tripod and utilise a long exposure with a shutter release.

Northern Lights Over Lake Michigan

The twelvemonth 2022 has been filled with a lot of darkness but seems to be ending on a brighter note with the appearance of the Northern Lights too as some other natural miracle, the Christmas Star.

Will you try to meet the Aurora Borealis over the next few days?

For more information on the Aurora and current space weather, please visit the NOAA NWS Space Atmospheric condition Prediction Center's website.