For reference, the northern lights (aurora borealis) are a result of geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s<\/a> atmosphere, creating brilliant waves of light in the sky.<\/p>\n Still, their visibility depends on several factors, including intensity and location.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, two coronal mass ejections \u2014 clouds of charged particles and magnetic fields released by the sun \u2014 may also brush against the planet’s magnetic field.<\/p>\n Still, this sky show is not a guaranteed spectacle, as everything from weak activity and summer twilight to moonlight and glow from the city lights could easily wash out a faint display.<\/p>\n In the meantime, read on for everything you need to know about this stellar event.<\/p>\n When will the northern lights be visible? Northern Lights Get ready, stargazers! The best opportunity for viewing will be after nightfall on Friday, July 24, once skies are dark.<\/p>\n NOAA’s forecast shows geomagnetic activity potentially returning to G1 levels late Friday evening, although the strongest activity may not necessarily align with every U.S. time zone.<\/p>\n Conditions are expected to weaken by Saturday, making Friday evening the better viewing window.<\/p>\n Remember, aurora activity can intensify or fade within minutes, so be sure to check NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast<\/a> before heading outside.<\/p>\n Where will the northern lights be visible?<\/p>\n This is primarily forecasted for northern U.S. states, with the best chances in dark locations close to the Canadian border.<\/p>\n NOAA specifically notes that a G1 storm can bring aurora to high-latitude areas such as northern Michigan and Maine, while parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Vermont and New Hampshire could also have a chance if conditions outperform expectations.<\/p>\n However, during a G2 geomagnetic storm, there is potential for sky watchers in Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania, but there is no guarantee.<\/p>\n How to watch the northern lights? aurora borealis Find a dark location away from city lights, ideally with a clear view of the northern sky.<\/p>\n The darker your surroundings, the more vivid the aurora colors will appear. Remember to also keep tabs on real-time conditions using NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast<\/a> and space-weather apps that track solar wind and magnetic field changes.<\/p>\n How to photograph the northern lights?<\/p>\n You don’t need professional gear to capture the auroras… but it’s always a plus!<\/p>\n If you’re hoping to photograph the northern lights, you’ll want to keep your setup as steady as possible, since the auroras are best captured with long exposures. But if you have a smartphone handy, that works just fine.<\/p>\n All you have to do is head to your device’s settings and tap the “Night Mode” option or “Pro Mode” with similar exposure times.<\/p>\n![\"Northern](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/315b4215a6f90cb9185abae815beddcf.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Steven Garcia\/NurPhoto\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n![\"aurora](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/people_218\/69dabcc8980d65069dd689d90a4fa086.jpeg\"\/)
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Credit: Ross Harried\/NurPhoto via Getty<\/p>\n