A powerful solar storm could give Rochesterians a view of Northern Lights.
Thursday morning, the planet was hit with a coronal mass ejection. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), these are expulsions of plasma and magnetic field caused by solar flares. When they collide with Earth’s atmosphere, they can disrupt satellite communications and impact the power grid.
But they can also cause aurora borealis: that colorful, luminous phenomenon in the sky, and on so many bucket lists.
NOAA predicts, if the conditions are just right, northern lights could be visible as far south as Alabama on Thursday night into early Friday morning.
The best viewing time is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to NOAA. Seek out a location away from city lights. Areas free from light pollution with unobstructed views to the north are ideal for witnessing the phenomenon.
A similar geomagnetic storm in May drove people to the northern tips of Monroe County — particularly the shores of Lake Ontario — with cameras and tripods to capture the color-streaked sky.
The phenomenon is not always visible to the naked eye but can be captured using long exposure photography with your camera or phone mounted on a tripod.
More CMEs are expected over the next two years, caused by increased solar activity.
