Parts of the U.S. Could See the Northern Lights in the Nights Ahead

Astronomy experts say it could be a great week to catch the northern lights. Here is a look at why astronomers are confident that this brilliant show by Mother Nature may appear and who may be lucky enough to see the famous dancing lights.

Why Are the Northern Lights Expected This Week?

A pair of recent eruptions on the surface of the sun are raising the odds that the aurora borealis could make an appearance this week across some parts of the northern U.S. Stargazers heading out to look at the night skies may see the iconic shades of red and green glisten on the horizon.

Two solar eruptions over the past weekend sent the clouds of charged particles toward Earth. The arrival of these particles will lay the groundwork for the appearance of the northern lights. Although this is not an exact science, astronomers believe the aurora could be visible late Tuesday. If you miss this showing, the lights will probably dance again on Wednesday night. The exact timing of the lights' arrival depends on when the charged particles reach the Earth's atmosphere.