Northern sections of the United States could be in for a rare astronomical treat as aurora borealis sightings could go as far south as the Carolinas Tuesday night.
For the northern lights to be visual south of the Ohio River, a Kp index of at least seven needs to happen. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Kp index is forecast to be up to seven Tuesday evening.
This means that Canadians and residents of states that border Canada should be able to witness tonight's aurora.
Last night, residents of northern states such as Michigan, New York and Montana were able to see the northern lights. The Kp index Monday night reached five.
To view the northern lights, experts recommend looking to the north and being away from the light pollution caused by cities. The best time to view the northern lights is 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time.
The greenish glow that results in auroras are caused by solar flairs that interact with the Earth’s magnetic polls. These charged particles from the sun penetrate the planet’s atmosphere and cause photons to give off light.
The forecast is for the northern lights to subside after Wednesday morning.
