Aurora borealis could put on a show in Ohio this weekend. How to watch, weather forecast

Watch the skies this weekend -- the northern lights could be visible across Ohio due to a strong solar storm heading toward earth.

The Space Weather Prediction Center, a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has issued a Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch, level G4 out of 5. According to the center, at least five coronal mass ejections (explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun) are expected to arrive around midday today.

Thanks to the geomagnetic storm caused by those ejections, the aurora borealis might be seen across the northern half of the United States, as far south as Alabama and Northern California, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Here's what to know.

What is the aurora borealis?

Auroras are ribbons of light weaving across Earth's northern or southern polar regions, according to NASA. They are caused by magnetic storms that have been triggered by solar activity, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections. Energetic charged particles from these events are carried away from the Sun by the solar wind.

These energized particles hit the atmosphere at 45 million mph and are redirected to the poles by the earth's magnetic field, according to Space.com, creating the light show.

During major geomagnetic storms, they expand away from the poles and can be seen over some parts of the United States, according to the NOAA.

What is a coronal mass ejection?

NASA describes coronal mass ejections as "huge bubbles of coronal plasma threaded by intense magnetic field lines that are ejected from the Sun over the course of several hours." The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the space agency says they often look like "huge, twisted rope" and can occur with solar flares, or explosions on the sun's surface.

How to view the aurora borealis

During times of high geomagnetic activity, which pushes the northern lights further south, the aurora will be visible directly overhead in the northern United States, according to the prediction center.

For the best viewing, the center recommends that it be very dark. Get away from city lights and avoid trying to see them on the night of a full moon. The best time to view the aurora is within an hour or two of midnight, or 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Ohio weather forecast for the northern lights

According to the National Weather Service, Friday night looks good for aurora watching, if it appears. The forecast calls for mostly clear skies tonight for the Akron, Columbus and Cincinnati areas.

Saturday night, however, is expected to be rainy in Akron. In Columbus, the night will start out wet, but then clear. And mostly clear skies are in the forecast for Cincinnati.

Sunday night returns to mostly clear skies across the state.

Want to see the northern lights? Good news: Experts predict years of awesome aurora viewing.

How to photograph the northern lights

If you're looking to photograph the aurora, National Geographic has some advice.

The article recommends using a tripod to keep the camera stable. Shooting at night means keeping the camera shutter open longer. That could create a blurry image if the camera is bumped or you aren't holding it steady. Also, use a wide-angle lens to capture as much of the sky as possible. And, don't just take a photo of the sky. Compose a better photograph by getting the horizon, or a tree or building, into the image with the aurora.

If you're using a smartphone, the article still recommends a tripod. Use a remote or set the camera's timer so you won't have to tap the screen to take a photo. Also, turn off the flash and set the camera to night mode.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Ohio could see the northern lights this weekend. Here's what to know