Posted in Indiana December 10, 2020 by

The Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Northern Indiana This Week Due To A Solar Storm

Right now, there is something amazing going on out in space, and it might just be visible for some folks in northern Indiana tonight and tomorrow night!

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate
Due to an enormous geomagnetic storm, the aurora borealis may be visible as far south as northern Indiana!
Richard Droker/Flickr
The chances of this occurring are slight, but significantly higher than most nights!
Your best bet is to go out to an open area with no light pollution near the Indiana/Ohio border for optimal viewing, and look north.
Lenny K. Photography/Flickr
If the aurora appears, it will likely look like a green, red, or blue light dancing near the horizon.
Tonight, December 10th, and tomorrow, December 11th, are your highest chances of seeing the northern lights.
zekang zheng/Flickr
An aurora occurs when the electrically charged particles let off by the solar storm interact with gaseous particles in the earth's protective atmosphere.
The result is an otherworldly glow, most dramatic near the Arctic Circle.
Billy Idle/Flickr
However, due to the unusual intensity of this particular space-storm, even parts of the northern USA will be treated to the lights tonight.
They may not appear as the incredible green curtains commonly seen in Norway and Alaska, but even simply seeing the glow on the horizon is a thing to remember.
Andy Rogers/Flickr
If you happen to miss it this year, that's alright - there will likely be another chance in 2023 or 2024.
Joel V/Flickr
Combined with the awesome meteor shower going on, the "Christmas Star" coming on the 21st, and now this amazing opportunity to see the northern lights, we think this month has been awesome for Indiana space weather!

If you’d like to read about the upcoming “Christmas Star” event, you can do so here.

Have you ever seen the northern lights? What was that like? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Address: Indiana, USA