Parts of New York State Could See the Northern Lights

The Sun remains in a cycle of high activity and strong solar storms, and this could mean parts of the state will witness the Aurora Borealis this week. The issues that can prevent residents from seeing the lights can range from timing to heavy cloud cover.

The Sun's solar winds send particles through space and towards the Earth at millions of miles per hour. The Earth's magnetic field deflects the solar wind, stretching the field until it sort of snaps these charged particles back down toward the planet.

Normally, only the higher and lower latitudes see the Northern (or, Southern Lights), though stronger solar disturbances can push the lights to states as far south as New York on occasion.

The color of the aurora "depends on the gas and altitude", according to The Post. Green is most common color, with red and purple Auroras considered more rare.

Parts of New York State Could See the Northern Lights

The New York Post says that the Northern Lights could be seen in areas of New York state Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with the best chances being between 11 PM and 5 AM to see the lights on towards the northern horizon.

The Northern Lights have already proven that they can be very hit or miss in this area. Sometimes you'll get spectacular displays, like the past Aurora events in May and October 2024. Other times, only parts of the state further north will see anything at all.

The website Future Science says that the solar storm "poses no danger to most people on the ground, it can disrupt satellites, GPS, and power systems."