Northern lights in New York this weekend? Here's how to catch glimpse of aurora amid solar storm activity

This weekend, faint northern lights could be visible in the northern US due to solar storms, with forecasters monitoring possible disturbances to power and communications.

As reported by AP, the sun is currently at the height of its 11-year cycle, increasing solar storms and auroras.

Earlier this week, the sun released two powerful flares, including one on Thursday that was the largest since 2017.

Pale auroras may be visible as far south as South Dakota, Iowa and New York — but the storms could still intensify or weaken over the weekend.

Also Read: Northern Lights: Why do we get auroras on Earth after eruptions occur on Sun? NASA says THIS

“There's still a fair amount of uncertainty,” Erica Grow Cei, spokesperson for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said Friday.

Unusually strong solar storms in May produced jaw-dropping aurora displays across the Northern Hemisphere. This week's storms featured fewer ejections of the high-energy plasma that can drive a light show, according to NOAA.

Also Read: Missed Aurora magic? Northern Lights likely to be visible again, NASA confirms fresh solar storm this week

What is an aurora?

An aurora, commonly known as the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) in the Southern Hemisphere, is a natural light display in the sky. It is caused by the interaction between charged particles from the sun and the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.

Also Read: Stunning photos of fresh aurora northern lights flood social media; check them out

Colours of Auroras: The colours of the auroras depend on the type of gas involved and the altitude at which the collisions occur:

Green: Most common, occurs when particles collide with oxygen at lower altitudes (about 60 to 150 miles).

Red: Can occur at higher altitudes (above 150 miles) with oxygen.

Blue and Purple: Result from interactions with nitrogen.