The Northern Lights, or as they are scientifically refereed to, Aurora Borealis, were visible in parts of New England this weekend, Massachusetts included! The lights, typically only visible in Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and parts of Canada spotted on Friday, May 10, 2024.
Northern Lights make their way to New England
From Boston to Salem, New Englanders took on a nocturnal routine for a chance to witness or at least capture the majestic green and purple hues of Aurora Borealis! Here are some of the spectacular images of the Northern Lights across the state!
Hopkinton State Park
Boston Common
Carson Beach
Charles River
Middlesex Fells Reservation
Salem, MA
Gloucester, MA
Will the Northern Lights be visible tonight?
Maybe you’re having major FOMO because you missed the Northern Lights on Friday or you caught them and want to witness them again. You may be in luck! Saturday morning, the Space Weather Prediction Center said in a statement, “weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight (Saturday, May 11).”
NOAA notes, “the extreme geomagnetic storm continues and will persist through at least Sunday.” Because this solar flare is so powerful, the Northern Lights may be visible again on Saturday night, May 11, from 10 PM until 2 AM in New England!
Northern lights visible in MA, across America
A rare solar storm could cause the Northern Lights to be visible in Massachusetts and other parts of New England. The last time this phenomenon occurred was around spring of last year. If you missed it, here’s everything you need to know so you have another opportunity to witness the Northern Lights in your neighborhood!
Solar storm to strike earth tonight
A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is predicated by NASA to hit the earth’s atmosphere tonight. This disruption, not felt, could cause changes in the visibility of the Aurora Borealis, making it visible in many parts of the United States. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, CMEs are “large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona. They can eject billions of tons of coronal material and carry an embedded magnetic field (frozen in flux) that is stronger than the background solar wind interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength.”
CMEs cause “highly elevated” geomagnetic activity, meaning the stronger the storm, the more widespread the visibility of the Northern Lights. Scientists predict they may be visible as far west as California and as far south as New Orleans! Their vibrancy will be more powerful up north, so it’s a good time to be a New Englander!
Where will the Northern Lights be visible in Massachusetts?
The map below reveals the likelihood of witnessing Aurora Borealis in your region. Red means a high likelihood while green is low. The view line of where the Northern Lights may be visible encompasses all of New England.
Northern New England, Vermont especially, has the highest likelihood of viewing the Northern Lights.
When will the Northern Lights be visible?
It is crucial that there be complete darkness, and clear skies. Assuming New England weather cooperates, the best viewing time for the Northern Lights is around midnight.
Make sure your viewing direction is North and you are in a clear, dark area, with little light pollution, such as a park, field, or beach.
The best viewing time is within 1-hour of midnight for the Northern Lights in New England. This will be tonight, Friday, May 10 from 10 PM until 2 AM. As NOAA shared Saturday morning, they may be visible again Saturday, May 11 from the same timeframe.
How else can I see the Northern Lights?
With your camera!
If you can’t view the Northern Lights with the naked eye, Brent Gordon of the Space Weather Prediction Center notes, “cellphones are much better than our eyes at capturing light.” Gordon suggests that even if you don’t notice anything, try taking a picture on the clear and dark night and you’d be surprised at what a high-quality phone camera might capture.
If all else fails, there is a Northern Lights Live Stream you can enjoy from home.