Northern Lights May Dance Across the US This Weekend

The sun is stirring up trouble again. A geomagnetic storm is on its way, and it might just light up the night sky with auroras in unexpected places. This storm is expected to kick off on Friday the 13th and stick around until Sunday or Monday. Skywatchers in up to 18 states might get a glimpse of the Northern Lights, which is pretty unusual. Usually, these lights are only visible in places much further north. The storm is classified as a G2, which means it's moderate. But there's a chance it could get stronger, maybe even reach G3 status. However, don't believe everything you read. Some reports claim it could hit G4, but that's likely a mix-up. The storm this weekend won't be nearly as intense as the one earlier this month. So, what's causing this light show? It's all thanks to a co-rotating interaction region. This is a fancy term for turbulence in the solar wind. It's like when fast-moving water collides with slower water, creating waves. This turbulence comes from a large coronal hole on the sun's surface. These holes are areas where the sun's magnetic field is open, allowing solar wind to escape. These storms can cause more than just pretty lights. They can also mess with radio signals, damage power grids, and even knock satellites out of orbit. The Earth's atmosphere soaks up extra energy during these storms, causing it to expand. This can be a problem for satellites orbiting close to Earth. The states that might see the auroras include Alaska, Montana, and even places as far south as New York and Massachusetts. But don't get your hopes up too high. Clouds, wildfire haze, or light pollution could block your view. The same goes for folks in the U. K. and parts of Europe. Solar activity has been high lately due to the solar maximum. This is the most active phase of the sun's 11-year cycle. During this time, the sun's magnetic field flips, causing more solar flares and coronal mass ejections. This phase started earlier than expected and is now winding down. But even as it ends, solar activity could stay high for a few more years.