Indiana
Will the northern lights be visible in Indiana tonight? What we know about Monday’s chances
Solar flare triggers widespread aurora display
A severe geomagnetic storm caused the Northern Lights to appear over an area of Europe and the U.S. as a satellite detected an explosive solar flare.
The northern lights put on a dazzling show late Sunday into early Monday morning across several U.S. states. If you didn’t see them, not to worry — you’ve got another shot at spotting auroras Monday night. You might have to do some traveling, though, depending on how far south you live from the U.S.-Canadian border.
More geomagnetic storms are predicted to hit the Earth soon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but their level of activity won’t be as strong.
While space weather is notoriously hard to predict, here’s what we know about Central Indiana’s chances of seeing the northern lights.
What are Central Indiana’s odds of seeing the northern lights Monday?
In short, not great. Experts at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center say the Kp index — a measure of Earth’s geomagnetic activity — will be lower Monday night than they were on Sunday, meaning the auroras will be further north.
Where in the U.S. will the northern lights be visible June 2?
Weather permitting, the northern lights could be visible low on the horizon in cities that include Seattle, Des Moines, Chicago, Cleveland and Boston, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute website, which tracks the phenomenon.
Where in Indiana can I see the northern lights?
The further north you travel, the better the odds you’ll have of spotting auroras in Indiana. It also helps to find a spot far away from light pollution. Beverly Shores, around Gary, is an International Dark Sky location and therefore an excellent place for stargazing.
You can also travel to Kemil Beach at Indiana Dunes State Park and Dr. T.K. Lawless County Park in Michigan, which also are designated dark sky locations, according to DarkSky International.
Sunday’s northern lights: What did people on social media see?
People living in Alaska, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Minnesota shared images of Sunday’s auroras across social media. Here’s a little bit of what they saw.
What time can I spot auroras?
Experts say the best auroras are usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time).
These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. There may be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing, according to NOAA.
Check out this northern lights photo gallery from October 2024.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.