‘Shimmering colors of green and red’: Northern lights may appear in Maryland
We may get a cosmic treat in our area later this week, when the Sun is forecast to create a vivid aurora borealis that could be visible from 17 U.S. states including Maryland.
“If you have really good aurora going, you will see these wonderful shimmering colors of green red and purple,” said WTOP space reporter Greg Redfern.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center said the region could get to witness the dazzling event on Thursday night.
The aurora borealis in the Northern Hemisphere happens when energetic particles from solar winds enter into Earth’s atmosphere and interact with air molecules.
“Just like our weather here on Earth, we will have to watch the weather out in space to see what we’ve got coming our way,” Redfern said, urging caution that things may change in the coming days.
If we do happen to see the Northern Lights, find a dark spot with no obstacles like trees or buildings blocking the northern horizon, and stay out past 10 p.m. Thursday through 2 a.m. Friday.
“Here’s the most important tip: Take your camera, your smartphone, and take pictures of that northern horizon,” said Redfern.
“In my experience, I could not really see aurora with my unaided eye,” Redfern said. “But the sensitivity of my iPhone allowed me to pick up pictures of actual aurora that I couldn’t very well with my eye.”
The aurora is not a common occurrence in the D.C. region, but this could be the second time we see it in our area this year, after a light show last March.
“Our Sun is entering a period that astronomers call solar maximum, the Sun goes through an 11-year cycle, in which sunspots and energetic events go from a minimum to a maximum,” Redfern said, about why we are seeing more aurora events as of late.