Northern Lights may be visible in northern Illinois again Thursday and Friday

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the Northern Lights may be visible in northern Illinois this Thursday and Friday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is tracking a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun which erupted Tuesday night and is expected to arrive at Earth on Thursday, October 10th.

Auroras are formed when charged particles hit the Earth’s magnetic field.

The latest estimates say the best time to view the aerial phenomena is between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. on Thursday.

The NOAA has categorized the solar storm as a G4 (severe) Geomagnetic Storm.

This year has been a colorful year for seeing auroras in lower attitudes due to increased electromagnetic activity from the sun, which is believed to be approaching the height of an 11-year solar cycle.

NOAA advises those who hope to see the northern lights to get away from city lights. The best viewing time is usually within an hour or two before or after midnight, and the agency says the best occasions are around the spring and fall equinoxes, due to the way the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere.

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