A rare and powerful solar storm is bringing the northern lights to areas of the United States as far south as Alabama over the weekend. The lights wowed onlookers across the country on Friday night, and the storm is expected to continue over the weekend, so fear not if you missed the first offering of this incredible natural display.
The northern lights are a result of geomagnetic particles from the sun colliding with the earth’s upper atmosphere. The result ranges from dancing ribbons of green, red, and pink directly overhead in northern latitudes to curtains of color on the northern horizon and lower latitudes.
The best way to see the northern lights is to get away from natural light, look towards the horizon to the north, and take a picture with your phone on night mode, as it can pick up a lot more color than you can see with the naked eye.
Seeing this incredible sight is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many, so if you live in one of these states, make sure to head outside tonight after dark to try and catch a glimpse of this cosmic show.
