Will the Northern lights be visible in Indiana this week? Here's what you need to know.

Emily DeLetter and Kate Perez, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Usually, seeing the northern lights means traveling far ... well, north.

But this week, the trip might be a lot shorter for Kentuckians as Indiana is one of 17 states that may be able to view the aurora borealis, when they appear in the sky this week.

If viewing the northern lights is on your bucket list, you'll want to be ready. Here's everything you need to know about catching a glimpse.

Northern lights 2023: 17 US states could see northern lights this week. Here's where you might view them.

Where could the northern lights appear in Indiana?

If the weather is clear, the northern lights will be visible Thursday, July 13, in northern parts of Indiana.

According to a forecast from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, it may also be visible low on the horizon in Indianapolis.

What time will the northern lights be visible?

The best chance of viewing the aurora borealis is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center states. People interested in viewing should get away from city lights and light pollution for a better chance of seeing them.

The higher the geomagnetic activity, the brighter the aurora is. As July 13 gets closer, the NOAA will monitor the activity and release a forecast of its own.

Where else can the northern lights be seen?

Here are the other states that may see the northern lights this week:

  • Alaska

  • Montana

  • North Dakota

  • South Dakota

  • Minnesota

  • Wisconsin

  • Michigan

  • Maine

  • Maryland

  • New York

  • New Hampshire

  • Washington

  • Vermont

  • Idaho

  • Oregon

  • Wyoming

When was the last major northern light even in the U.S.?

The possibility of seeing the northern lights comes after a geomagnetic storm created lights that shone above 30 U.S. states in late April. Lights appeared in parts of Iowa, North Dakota, Kansas and more.

Northern lights photos: See aurora borealis light up skies across several states

What are the northern lights?

The northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, are an astronomical phenomenon in the Northern and Southern hemispheres where colored lights are visible in the night sky.

While they are more frequent closer to the North and South poles, they have been seen closer to the Equator. They can be viewed by looking in the direction of the closest pole (north in the Northern Hemisphere and south in the Southern Hemisphere), according to the Library of Congress.

What causes the northern lights?

The natural phenomenon is usually caused by solar winds coming from the sun and Earth's magnetic field, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Where can I view the northern lights July 13