Northern Lights May Dance Across the Sky Again Tonight!

(Images of visibility maps at the end)

If you missed last night’s incredible display, you might get another chance tonight. Meteorologists say the powerful geomagnetic storm hitting Earth is still going strong — and it could once again light up skies across much of the United States.

Experts say the best viewing window will be between 10 PM and 2 AM, especially if you face north and get away from bright city lights. Step outside, find a dark, open spot, and let your eyes adjust for a few minutes. Even if clouds roll through, a quick break in the sky could reveal something truly unforgettable.

You can also try using your cell phone camera on night mode, which often picks up more color than what’s visible to the naked eye.

The solar storm responsible for the display came from a massive coronal mass ejection (CME) that slammed into Earth’s magnetic field, sending bursts of energy that paint the atmosphere with those famous green, purple, and red glows.

So, bundle up, be patient, and keep your eyes to the sky — tonight’s show could be one to remember.

About the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, happen when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere — mainly oxygen and nitrogen. These collisions create glowing waves of color that stretch and dance across the night sky.

The light show often appears in green, but depending on altitude and the type of gas, you might also see pink, purple, red, or blue.

• Green – caused by oxygen about 60 miles up.

• Red – from oxygen higher in the atmosphere (about 200 miles up).

• Purple & blue – from nitrogen molecules.

The Northern Lights are usually strongest near the Earth’s poles, but during major solar storms, they can be seen much farther south — sometimes as far as Texas, Kentucky, or even northern Florida during intense activity.

What’s causing the lights right now is a geomagnetic storm triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a burst of plasma and magnetic energy from the sun that slammed into Earth’s magnetic field. When that energy interacts with our upper atmosphere, it creates the colorful glow visible at night.

The best way to see them:

• Get away from city lights.

• Look north between 10 PM and 2 AM.

• Let your eyes adjust for about 10–15 minutes.

• Use your phone’s night mode to capture details you might not see at first.

Even if you can’t see bright colors with your eyes, your camera might pick up the glow — especially on nights when solar activity is strong.

Belows image for Wed Nov 12, 2025 is subject to change as new data comes in, but it shows the levels that are visible.