If You Live In These 9 States, You Just Might See The Northern Lights Tonight

The northern lights (or the Aurora Borealis) aren’t always visible in the United States, but thanks to some geomagnetic storms this week, they might just be visible in these nine US states this week.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects auroral activity with a Kp index of five out of nine, predicting that the northern lights will be visible across Canada and some bordering states—but for a very limited time, since no other storms or significant solar flares are currently being forecasted.

If you live in one of these northern US States, you might want to keep an eye on the sky tonight:

1. Alaska

2. Montana

3. North Dakota

4. Minnesota

5. Wisconsin

6. Michigan

7. Maine

8. Vermont

9. New Hampshire

The Aurora Borealis will be more visible the more North you travel (for instance, in Michigan, you’re more likely to see them in the Upper Peninsula), and they’re likely to be clearer in more remote areas with less light pollution. You also don’t need to be directly under them—you might be able to see them up to 1000 km away. So if you’re determined to see the northern lights tonight, you might want to make a plan to find the best place to try to view them—who knows when the next sighting will be.