BOSTON – Keep an eye out for a potentially dazzling display in the sky Saturday night. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis is expected to be visible across northern New England.
A forecast map shows the aurora is likely in the northern parts of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The aurora is “possible” in Massachusetts and southern New England, and even as far south as Washington, D.C.
“If you’re a night owl and you have a good vantage point toward the north, check out the possibility for the northern lights, especially through northern New England but even in the Worcester Hills,” WBZ-TV meteorologist Jacob Wycoff said, while also offering some tips for photographers. “Open up those shutters and let those long exposures really capture some of those northern lights.”
The forecast for the region should be ideal for viewing the aurora, with clear skies and only a sliver of a crescent moon.
What causes the Northern Lights?
We can sometimes see the northern lights when solar energy from the sun collides with Earth’s magnetic field, creating various waves of color.
The northern lights captivated stargazers in Massachusetts back in March of this year, when the increase in atmospheric activity caused them to be seen much further south than usual. Wycoff said the bright green and pink colors made it “one of the best geomagnetic storms that I’ve seen in quite a long time.”
If you get a picture of the northern lights, send us a picture at [email protected]
