Photos by Bronson Clay
Amateur and professional night sky watchers in the Great Lakes region recently had a rare opportunity to see the dazzling northern lights, which are typically not visible that far south. Such displays are usually expected in places like Skalholt, Iceland, and Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. But they were spotted in Toronto, Buffalo, and Erie!
A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is often linked to a solar flare, which releases energy that the sun “burps” into space. This energy excites the atmosphere, and the Earth’s magnetic field directs it toward the planet’s North and South Poles. JonDarr Bradshaw, a 25-year veteran of NASA and the community engagement coordinator and aerospace education lead for The Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, explains this phenomenon.
“If the eruption on the surface of the sun is significant and more intense, we are more likely to see an aurora borealis display further south,” says Bradshaw. “When the energy interacts with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, it produces beautiful colors—greens, reds, purples, and blues. It’s an incredible sight, resembling neon lights. You can see shimmering, glowing colors across the sky.”
What if you were watching your favorite TV shows on the nights when the northern lights were dancing over your neighborhood earlier this year? According to Bradshaw, you’re in luck! The sun operates on an 11-year cycle, and we are currently in the fourth year of this cycle. Sun activity will peak in intensity in 2024.
“That will happen next year, but we are already noticing an increase in intensity this year,” says Bradshaw. “Therefore, we anticipate a few more chances to see the aurora borealis at such low latitudes. Next year is expected to be even more significant.”
CMEs (coronal mass ejections) and the northern lights do not pose any significant danger to life on Earth. However, being on a spaceship heading to Mars during a solar flare could be a different story, according to Bradshaw. Crews on such missions would need to seek shelter from the harmful radiation released by intense solar flares. While solar activity can lead to some disruptions on Earth, such as GPS issues, radio communication problems, and cable interruptions, these are generally manageable.
In recent years, following aurora borealis displays has become a popular travel activity for tourists worldwide. Countries like Norway, Sweden, and Finland offer trips for those who have added witnessing this spectacular light show to their bucket lists. Next year, you might not need to travel to northern Canada to see the lights; instead, you could enjoy them from a dark location (far away from outdoor lights) near your home around the Great Lakes.
While there’s a good chance of seeing the northern lights in places like Alaska, the conditions must be just right for a spectacular display. The solar system can be unpredictable, and optimal sightings require dark skies and cloudless nights.
A great resource for aurora forecasts is the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. They provide predictions for prime viewing dates in various locations around the world. For instance, the next significant viewing opportunity near Lake Erie will be on March 31, 2024, with the best time to observe usually being one to two hours before midnight.
To make the experience even easier, some technology companies offer apps that help predict and locate aurora borealis activity globally.