JACKSON, Wyo. — Northwestern Wyomingites have another shot at seeing the northern lights after suboptimal viewing conditions made last week’s geomagnetic activity tough to see.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center, a coronal mass ejection (large clouds of plasma and magnetic fields emitted by the sun) is expected to arrive in the next day, which could lead to a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm. Activity could be visible tomorrow night, too.
The Kp index has the potential to reach level 7 over the next 24 hours, which might make the northern lights visible as far south as Wyoming. Derived from the German “Planetarische Kennziffer,” or planetary index, the Kp scale runs from 0 to 9.
As explained by Wyoming Stargazing, the Kp index “measures the disruption of the horizontal distribution of the geomagnetic activity… A 4 would push them down into southern Canada, while a 5, in the right conditions, might just barely be visible on the northern horizon here in Jackson Hole. To see them well, we typically need at least a 6.”
The National Weather Service forecasts partly cloudy skies over Jackson tonight, and the moon should be about half-full. To view the aurora on a clear night, head to a very dark place away from light pollution, and allow the eyes to adjust, which could take 15 to 30 minutes. Turn to the north-northeast and look at the horizon.
Good luck, skywatchers.
