Northern Lights Visible , Across North America , After Massive Solar Eruption.
On September 18, skywatchers across the United States
and Canada were wowed by brilliant northern lights
following a powerful eruption on the sun.
NBC reports that the vivid light show
was visible in multiple Western and
Midwestern states, from Montana to Minnesota.
The northern lights, otherwise known as the aurora borealis, are the result of charged particles from solar storms interacting with Earth's atmosphere.
Normally, the northern lights
are only visible in the night
sky at higher latitudes. .
During periods of intense solar
activity the aurora borealis can be
spotted further south than normal.
The latests auroras were the
result of a coronal mass ejection
that occurred on September 16.
On September 18, the Aberdeen, South Dakota,
branch of the National Weather Service
released photos of the auroras.
Similarly, skywatchers in Glasgow, Montana,
reported seeing dazzling displays,
despite overcast conditions.
NBC reports that the auroras are best viewed
from dark locations away from light pollution.
A short-term forecast of the northern lights
can be found at NOAA's Space Weather
Prediction Center's aurora dashboard