How To See The Northern Lights In Wisconsin Tonight

WISCONSIN — Be sure to look up tonight as the Northern Lights could dazzle the skies over Wisconsin.

The Space Weather Prediction Center predicts a G1 geomagnetic storm will arrive July 23, meaning the Aurora Borealis may be visible at high altitudes in the U.S., including in Wisconsin. The best chance to see them is Monday night from sunset to 1 a.m.

The bright dancing lights of the aurora are actually collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The lights are seen above the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.

They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora Australis' in the south. Auroral displays appear in many colors although pale green and pink are the most common. Shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet have been reported.

The lights appear in many forms from patches or scattered clouds of light to streamers, arcs, rippling curtains or shooting rays that light up the sky with an eerie glow.

The NOAA has an interactive 30-minute Northern Lights prediciton map that can show you a short-term forecast as to where they will light up the night sky.

Image via Shutterstock

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