Aurora Alert: The Northern Lights Are Live Now Across 8 U.S. States

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The northern lights’ window continues to blast this week’s night skies for the third time, with the arrival of a fast-moving solar wind stream across parts of the U.S. and Canada. Skywatchers under a clear, unobstructed sky are once again at an advantage all throughout the geomagnetic storm conditions tonight on May 7, into Friday, May 8. 

Heavily dependent on varied factors including location and intensity, the northern lights are products of geomagnetic storms when changed particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, brilliant celestial spectacles known as 'aurora borealis' are born. 

Tonight, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., the northern lights are forecasted to dazzle 8 states altogether, creating an unmissable display for all the stargazers out there. 

Where will the northern lights be visible?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, revealed the likelihood of the northern lights on Thursday night, caused by active conditions and isolated G1 to G2 storm periods. With that in mind, places around higher-latitude regions such as Alaska and Canada are forecasted to get a front view of aurora borealis. 

According to experts from NOAA, Forbes, and People, the northern lights are visible across states along the U.S.-Canada border, including: 

• Northern parts of Washington
• Idaho
• North Dakota
• Montana
• Northern Wisconsin
• Minnesota
• Michigan’s Upper Peninsula 

How to watch the northern lights?

For many skywatchers, seeing the northern lights starts with escaping bright city lights and heading closer to the Earth’s north magnetic pole, where darker skies offer the best chance of spotting the glowing phenomenon.

To watch the aurora, face north and give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness. At first, the lights may look like a faint grey glow, before slowly transforming into waves of green, purple, and red dancing across the night sky. 

What’s the best way to photograph the northern lights?

For stargazers eager to photograph the spectacle, a tripod quickly becomes an essential companion. The stable setup helps capture the flowing aurora as it sweeps across the still night horizon in glowing waves of color. 

When searching for the best camera settings to photograph the northern lights, photographers are often advised to use a wide-angle lens, switch to manual focus, set the ISO between 800 and 3200, and keep the shutter speed around 5 to 15 seconds depending on the brightness of the aurora.

Read: 10 Best Places to See Northern Lights: Top Spots for Nature's Light Show

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