Northern Lights Could Return This Week Above New York State

Astronomers say that the Aurora Borealis could return this week, as another powerful solar storm has erupted. But will cloud cover once again hinder any potential viewing?

The very active period of solar storms continues , as the Aurora Borealis has already shown as far south as New York over the past year. The reason for the increased displays is that our Sun is at its peak in its 11-year annual cycle for solar activity.

What Are the Northern Lights? 

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.

Once these particles collide with the gases in our atmosphere, they begin to glow in a variety of ghostly displays and colors, according to the Canadian Space Agency.  

Northern Lights Could Return This Week Above New York State 

Forbes reports that two X-class solar flares, which astronomers say are the strongest category, erupted on the Sun Tuesday, The flares  were followed by "strong M-class solar flares by Wednesday, according to Forbes.

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch for November 6 and 7. This could bring the Northern Lights to states as far south as New York.

The Weather Channel says that skies will range from partly to mostly cloud over the next 48 hours, so the weather could play a factor in any potential viewings

Of course, predicting these events is difficult, as the area may not see anything at all.