Stunning Northern Lights Lit Up the US This Weekend — And More May Be Coming Tonight

A Rare and Brilliant Weekend Sky Show

Skywatchers across the United States and Europe were treated to a spectacular natural light show this past weekend, and the aurora borealis may not be done yet. After an epic night of northern lights across Europe and North America on Saturday, October 11, aurora displays during G4-class geomagnetic storms — which space weather forecasters did not expect — were seen on the northern horizon from Germany, France, the U.K., and across Scandinavia, as well as from northern U.S. states and Canada. Regions around the Arctic Circle saw spectacular aurora displays directly overhead.

The dazzling show was no accident. The ongoing activity stemmed from a series of solar eruptions, including an M1.4-class solar flare on October 6 and an M6.7-class flare on October 8. The sun unleashed a powerful eruption early on October 6, launching a coronal mass ejection — or CME — toward Earth. These massive bursts of charged solar particles interact with Earth's magnetic field, pushing the glowing auroral oval further south than normal and giving millions of Americans a rare front-row seat to one of nature's most breathtaking displays.

Which States Could Still See the Lights Tonight

The weekend's fireworks may have an encore. Following the unexpected G4-class geomagnetic storms on Saturday, October 11, the northern lights could return after dark on Sunday, October 12 — today. NOAA forecasts G1 to G2 geomagnetic storms on Sunday and Monday as additional coronal mass ejections reach Earth, with a G2 peak expected between 11 p.m. EDT on Sunday and 2 a.m. EDT on Monday.

The approaching geomagnetic activity could bring the northern lights to up to 22 U.S. states, offering millions of Americans a chance to witness a phenomenon usually associated with much higher latitudes. The 12 states with the most favorable viewing prospects are Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Another 10 states could experience auroral activity if conditions strengthen: Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and New York — where the display may appear as a faint glow along the northern horizon rather than directly overhead.

Timing and lunar conditions are also working in viewers' favor. A new moon on Saturday, October 10, means skies will be free of moonlight, creating good viewing conditions if skies are clear. Darker skies make even faint auroras far easier to detect.

How to Spot — and Photograph — the Aurora

You don't need specialized equipment to catch the show. As Michael Bettwy, operations chief of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, explained: "You may not be able to see it with your naked eye, but if you have a clear night with not that many clouds, and you put your phone to the sky, you may actually get an image or two." Experts recommend taking test shots even if the aurora looks faint, since smartphone sensors are often more sensitive than the human eye and can detect colors that may be difficult to see directly.

Location matters enormously. Check the forecast because auroras are best seen in clear skies — find a dark spot away from city lights and look north. If your phone has a dedicated Night Mode, use it, as it automatically uses a longer exposure time to gather more light. Keep the phone completely steady using a tripod or a solid surface, and use the longest exposure possible — typically between three and ten seconds — to gather maximum light from faint aurora.

Why This Solar Cycle Keeps Delivering

The sun is currently at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle, making light displays more common and widespread. That means opportunities like this past weekend aren't flukes — they're part of a broader pattern of heightened solar energy output that has been producing remarkable aurora events with increasing frequency. Two prominent sunspot regions are currently facing Earth and have shown increasing flare activity, and coronal holes rotating across the Earth-facing side of the sun are expected to send further streams of fast solar wind, with another enhanced period of geomagnetic activity predicted around October 11.

For anyone who missed the weekend's show, tonight's conditions offer a genuine second chance. Keep an eye on NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center for real-time Kp index updates, and don't be discouraged if the lights look faint to the naked eye — your phone camera may reveal a sky full of color that your eyes simply can't register on their own.