The northern lights are returning for an appearance over North America Saturday night.
The states that will likely see the natural light phenomenon, known as the Aurora Borealis, are Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a Kp index of four on a scale of nine was forecasted for Saturday night. That number signifies that the northern lights will be “quite pleasing to look at” since they will be brighter, and come with more motion and formation.
The Aurora Borealis, referred to as the northern lights, can be seen just after sunset or just before sunrise. Anadolu via Getty ImagesThe Aurora Borealis — which occurs from an interaction of solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field — can be seen just after sunset or just before sunrise, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
It cannot be seen in the daylight and can be viewed from as far as 1,000 kilometers away, according to the NOAA.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a Kp index of four on a scale of nine was forecasted for Saturday night. NOAAThe agency also provides a 30-minute forecast page for people to monitor its location and intensity.
They can also sign up for alerts via Aurorasaurus to see if the northern lights can be seen in their area.
The Aurora Borealis last appeared over parts of the US and Europe on New Year’s Eve.
