Will you see the magical Northern Lights tonight? When and where to see the aurora borealis in the US this week

For the past nine days, many stargazers in the northern hemisphere have been able to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic light show known as the Northern Lights.

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If you missed out on the spectacle so far, you may get another chance between Wednesday and Saturday, according to predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Northern Lights (or the aurora borealis) are caused when colliding electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth's atmosphere, according to EarthSky.org.

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The colliding disturbances drive electrons in the atmosphere wild, causing them to emit the photons we experience as the fascinating light show of the aurora borealis.

According to Conde Nast Traveler, a sunspot known as Active Region (AR) 2673 has released a total of seven flares since September 4. As a result, Americans in the north have had at least two chances at catching the lights in the past nine days.

ajc.com

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The NOAA has issued two geomagnetic storms for Sept. 13 and Sept. 14, meaning the lights could also be visible in the U.S. by late Wednesday evening.

If conditions are right, residents in parts of Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Washington may also get a rare chance to witness the spectacle.

Sample screenshot of aurora borealis 3-day forecast for Sept. 14 between approximately 8-10 p.m. EST.

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The NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has a nifty 30-minute aurora forecast and 3-day forecast model on its site where you can follow the lights yourself.

From NOAA:

Note that the aurora will not be visible during daylight hours and it may be an hour or more before sunrise or after sunset that the aurora can be seen from earth.

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