Northern lights could be visible this week. When to look for aurora borealis in Oklahoma
The aurora borealis could be visible in the Midwest this week after strong solar activity led the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a geomagnetic storm warning for Monday through Wednesday.
NOAA said that solar activity was heightened throughout the weekend and various events, including solar flares and eruptions, were associated with coronal mass ejections, a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun’s corona.
What is the aurora borealis forecast in Oklahoma?
If geometric levels get high enough during the late evening hours on Tuesday, the aurora may be visible in northern states like Wisconsin, North Dakota and Montana.
Oklahoma is likely too far south to enjoy the aurora, but some should consider using their phones or cameras and take images to the north, because sometimes when the eye can't see them, digital imagery technology can often pick them up.
What are the northern lights?
The word aurora refers to the light produced when electrons from space, traveling down Earth's magnetic field, collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere, according to the prediction center.
The colorful aurora forms when particles flowing from the sun get caught up in Earth's magnetic field. The particles interact with molecules of atmospheric gases to cause the famed glowing green and reddish colors of the aurora.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Northern lights tonight in Oklahoma? Aurora borealis forecast
