WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Astro Minute: This Year, You Might See the Northern Lights
Episode Date: January 31, 2024Even if you live at lower latitudes, you might get a chance to see the Northern Lights this summer as the sun enters its stormy season. Learn more on today's episode of Astro Minute! ...
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Welcome to the Astro Minute, where we're exploring the universe 60 seconds at a time.
I'm Lauren Smith and today we're exploring the Northern Lights.
The sun's stormy season is upon us.
The next peak of the 11-year solar storm cycle is now predicted sometime between January and
October of 2024.
And more solar activity means more Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights.
As the stormy sun blasts materials into space, they hit Earth's complex magnetic field,
sending charged particles spiraling along the Earth's magnetic field lines toward the north and south magnetic poles.
The particles then slam into the polar atmosphere, exciting oxygen and nitrogen,
and producing magnificent moving curtains of red, green, blue, and violet light.
So check Aurora forecasts at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center
and keep your eyes open for these beautiful lights.
That's your Astro Minute.