Rare Northern Lights Sighting Possible In Ohio This Weekend

Ohioans may have the rare opportunity to glimpse the northern lights on Friday night and over the weekend. A possible solar flare on the surface of the sun could produce a geomagnetic storm that will make the lights visible as far south as the Plains.

States along the Canadian border will have the best opportunity to see the aurora borealis effect, which puts the Buckeye State in prime position. The weather in Northeast Ohio may even cooperate (for once).

While snow and cloud cover is likely on Friday and Friday night, the skies should be clear on Saturday and Saturday night. Rain showers may roll into the region on Sunday morning, but stargazers may be able to catch sight of the northern lights before things get misty.

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The science behind the colorful blue, green, purple and red northern lights is a bit complicated — all you really need to know is that they are so beautiful they will make your jaw drop in awe. But basically, they become visible to the human eyes when electrons from solar storms collide with the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere.

In normal circumstances, the Earth's magnetic field guides the electrons in such a way that the aurora forms two ovals approximately centered at the magnetic poles. But during geomagnetic storms, the ovals expand away from the poles and give some lucky people in the United States a sky show they'll never forget.

Most often, the auroras initially appear as tall rays that look like a colorful curtain made of folds of cloth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.

"During the evening these rays form arcs that stretch from horizon to horizon," the agency said on its website. "Late in the evening, near midnight, the arcs often begin to twist and sway, just as if a wind were blowing on the curtains of light. At some point, the arcs may expand to fill the whole sky, moving rapidly and becoming very bright. This is the peak of what is called an auroral substorm."