GREENSBORO, N.C. — Are you anxious to try and see the Northern Lights again after our big show back in May? You may have a chance this week. The WFMY News 2 Weather team is tracking it.
A burst of solar energy is heading this way
The Northern Lights can be seen when energy from the sun moves toward Earth and interacts with our magnetic field. The result is the bright color you may see in pictures.
Scientists track these bursts of energy from the sun, called Coronal Mass Ejections, and they've spotted a big one that will arrive on Thursday evening.
These solar storms can put on some really good displays of Aurora, the technical term for the Northern Lights. That means there may be a chance to see them even here in the Carolinas on Thursday evening.
How Can You Spot Them?
There are a few things to keep in mind if you're trying to see the Northern Lights.
- Get away from city lights as best as you can. The darker the better!
- Take a look between 8pm and Midnight. That's the forecasted time of most activity with this event.
- Allow your eyes time to adjust
- Look north!
- Use night mode on your phone, or long exposure on a camera. It can see more than your eyes can by letting in more light over time.
- Keep expectations low, and be patient. Sometimes the Aurora comes in waves.
- Predicting the Aurora is much harder than predicting the weather. Lots of times it doesn't pan out, especially this far south.
Will it Be Like the May Event?
Simply put, not very likely. It's possible that the Aurora event back in May will be the best of many of our lifetimes here in the Carolinas. That was truly special to see them so easily with your naked eye!
Still, it is worth taking some time out of your night to try and catch a look.
