NEED TO KNOW
\nAs the harvest moon begins to reach its peak, the sparkly Fomalhaut (“Autumn Star”) will rise low in the southern sky on Oct. 3, along with Saturn shining nearbyFomalhaut is one of the brightest stars of the fall season, standing out among other constellationsThe northern lights may also make a brief appearance, as auroral activity is likely in the weeks following the equinox<\/p>\n
Calling all stargazers and skywatchers!\n<\/p>\n
With the autumn season<\/a> well underway, the night sky is filled with surprises that invite us to pause and look up.<\/p>\n This week<\/a>, in addition to the otherworldly glow surrounding the harvest moon, which reaches its peak on Oct. 6, the sparkling Formalhaut \u2014 also known as the \u201cAutumn Star\u201d \u2014 will make its seasonal cameo, rising low in the southern sky on Oct. 3.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also want to keep an eye out for Saturn<\/a> nearby!\n<\/p>\n Sitting low in the southern horizon, the Fomalhaut is one of the brightest stars of the season, standing out among the other constellations. It is the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, visible from mid-northern latitudes during the fall season<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n But it doesn\u2019t end there: the northern lights could make a brief appearance across high latitudes, if weather conditions permit. While recent solar flares won\u2019t directly hit Earth, the weeks following the fall equinox<\/a> are historically known for heightened auroral activity.\n<\/p>\n Remember, the aurora borealis (northern lights<\/a>) is a result of geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating brilliant waves of light in the sky.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n This means even the smallest geomagnetic disturbance can light up the horizon with a green or purple glow, so it\u2019s worth keeping watch if you\u2019re in the right place at the right time.\n<\/p>\n Read on for how and when to catch a glimpse of this week’s cosmic spectacle.<\/p>\n When will the northern lights be visible? <\/p>\n The night sky in Wisconsin glows with the Northern Lights as a geomagnetic storm brings vibrant pink and green colors to a majority of the northern states.<\/p>\n Ross Harried\/NurPhoto via Getty<\/p>\n Aurora activity could make a brief appearance tonight, Sept. 29, but conditions are expected to stay mostly quiet. There\u2019s only a slight chance of minor solar storms before activity settles down again.<\/p>\n