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Northeast Ohio has best chance in years to see the Northern Lights

The National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a very rare G4 or a Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch - the first since January 2005 and is a level four out of five on the alert scale.

By: Katie McGraw

Posted at 12:26 PM, May 10, 2024

and last updated 2024-05-10 22:48:20-04

The National Weather Service Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a very rare G4 or a Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch — the first since January 2005. It's a level four out of five on the alert scale.

A large sunspot (known as NOAA region 3664) ejected enormous blasts of energy toward Earth and will give us the best shot in literally years to see the northern lights, and it looks like the clouds will stay away Friday night to see the show.

Viewing details:

Head outside after sunset and look to the north (or toward the lake)
Get away from city lights for the best show
The sun goes down around 8:30 p.m., and the show will get better and more intense closer to midnight through 2 a.m.
Clouds look to stay away until around 2 to 4 am Saturday, giving us several hours to catch a glimpse of the northern lights

Since this is such a rare opportunity, I think it is worth a shot to head outside and look for them!

The sunspot causing this geomagnetic storm is very large. You can even see it! If you still have your solar eclipse glasses, you should be able to safely see sunspot AR3664. It's so big it rivals the size of the great Carrington-class sunspot of September 1st, 1859.

The Carrington Event is known as the greatest solar storm in history. Auroras were visible as far south as the equator, and telegraph systems all over the world failed due to the disruptive electromagnetic energy.

Thankfully, tonight's show won't be nearly as strong.

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