|
 The northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, was expected to be
visible after dark on the East Coast from Maine to as far south as
Maryland, and across large parts of Michigan and Iowa.
Forecasters said northwestern states including Idaho and Washington
were expected to get the best view of the phenomenon, in which the
sky is illuminated with streaks and swirls of green, red, blue and
yellow.
The northern lights are the result of collisions between the Earth's
gaseous particles and matter released by the Sun's atmosphere,
according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The collisions can jar the magnetosphere around the Earth's north
and south poles, releasing colorful streams into the sky.
The solar flares that were sent towards Earth this week were very
large, the NOAA said, indicating that the aurora will be visible at
a far greater distance than normal.
"When activity picks up, it becomes brighter and the auroral oval
expands towards the equator. During very large events, it is
possible to see the aurora in the continental U.S.," it said.
The best time to view the lights are around midnight, and the
activity could last for several evenings, forecasters said.
Areas with less cloud cover and less light pollution, such as rural
areas or smaller towns, will have a better chance of capturing the
intensity of the display, according to Canada's Northern Lights
Center.
[to top of second column] |
The solar flares can have another unusual effect, at times
disrupting global positioning, radio, and satellite signals.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the phenomenon is called the Aurora
Australis.
(Reporting by Victoria Cavaliere; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Doina
Chiacu)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
