A dazzling display of Northern Lights could illuminate the night sky this week – just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The phenomenon sees ribbons of green, pink, and sometimes purple light swirling through the skies.
Caused by charged sun particle hitting the Earth’s atmosphere, the lights – also called Aurora Borealis – have been captivating humanity for thousands of years.
And this week, Americans in some US states might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them.
As SpaceWeather.com reports, another solar wind stream is heading for our planet, flowing from ‘a canyon-like hole’ in the sun’s atmosphere.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) claimed this could cause a ‘G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm’ which could be visible from tonight (Thursday February 13) and into the evening on Valentine’s Day, with ‘high activity’ expected.
Where to see the Northern Lights
Parts of northern USA might be able to see the light show, as well as areas in Canada.
One state which will perhaps unsurprisingly see a display is Alaska, due to its northerly position.
And, if conditions are right, the Northern Lights could be visible as far south as northern Michigan and Maine tonight and tomorrow.
How best to see the Northern Lights
The NOAA recommends going out at night and ‘getting away from city lights’ for optimal Aurora Borealis viewing. However, visibility also depends on how clear the night sky is.
“The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight – between 10pm and 2am local time,” the agency explained.
“These hours of active aurora expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases.
“There may be aurora in the evening and morning but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing.”
Capturing the solar storm
Speaking of ‘visually appealing,’ if you’re looking to photograph the lights, then fortunately you don’t need a fancy DSLR camera to do so.
Instead, you can optimize your iPhone to capture the light display in all its glory.
To do this, make sure you select Night Mode – which should automatically come on if you’re taking photos in a low-light environment.
If it doesn’t, you can access it via the options menu on your camera app.
Then, adjust the exposure time to its maximum limit. This will allow your iPhone to capture more light and movement of the Northern Lights.
It’s worth noting that, while you also need at least an iPhone 11 or a newer model to do this, a tripod would also massively help you out here.
Any shaky hands, with your exposure settings at their maximum, can affect the quality of your photos.
If you want those perfectly lit images you’ve seen clogging up your Instagram feed, you want to ensure you’re as still as possible.