Northern Lights Could Appear In 9 States Monday Night

Aug 17, 2026 08:35 PM - 1 day ago 1

Topline

The bluish lights could beryllium visible from immoderate bluish states connected Monday night, according to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, though experts are not expecting immoderate abstraction upwind events that typically make the aurora brighter.

A forecast from NOAA shows wherever the aurora could beryllium spotted connected Monday night.

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Key Facts

NOAA predicted a Kp scale of 4 retired of 9 connected Monday night, meaning the bluish lights could beryllium visible from immoderate parts of the bluish contiguous U.S., appearing brighter and pinch much “motion and formations” than usual.

Forecasters did not foretell immoderate ongoing abstraction upwind for Monday that could power the Kp scale and origin the lights to look brighter.

Where Could the Northern Lights Be Visible?

Places shown pinch a chance successful NOAA’s forecast see North Dakota, parts of bluish Washington, bluish Idaho, bluish Montana, bluish South Dakota, bluish Minnesota, bluish Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The aurora could beryllium visible from Alaska, pinch NOAA’s forecast showing a precocious chance for overmuch of the state’s interior. However, the sun sets highly precocious during the summertime successful Alaska, meaning it whitethorn not get acheronian capable for viewers to drawback a glimpse of the lights from parts of the state.

NOAA's forecast representation for Monday.

NOAA

What’s the Best Way to View the Northern Lights?

Experts astatine NOAA propose viewers should recreation mostly arsenic acold northbound arsenic possible, toward Earth’s magnetic northbound rod located successful bluish Canada. They should besides effort to prime a location acold from cities aliases different sources of agleam light, and find a vantage constituent for illustration a elevation pinch a clear position of the sky. They should besides hold until it is acheronian outside, ideally astir the clip the aurora is typically astir active: betwixt 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

What’s the Best Way to Photograph the Northern Lights?

An aurora photographer who said to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to return photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only person entree to a smartphone camera. Smartphone users should move connected their device’s nighttime mode, move disconnected flash, and sprout successful RAW image format. They should besides bring instrumentality to guarantee their instrumentality is unchangeable and stationary for a agelong capable magnitude of clip to seizure capable light—experts typically urge a tripod and a distant timer.

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