Were you lucky enough to see the spectacular Northern Lights on May 10th? Here in Maine, we get to see these dazzling displays more often than elsewhere in the United States, but this recent solar storm was particularly strong and put on quite a magnificent show for folks who live much further south. For those who used a phone camera to capture the colorful phenomenon - which can receive light better than our eyes - auroras were visible as far down as Arizona, Texas, and even Florida! According to scientists and space weather experts, this awe-inspiring aurora event likely won't be the last we see this year. In fact, 2024 could be one of the best years to view vivid Northern Lights in Maine in decades as solar storm activity increases.

We’re so fortunate that we are far north enough to see the Northern Lights just about every year in Maine. The shifting colors of pink, magenta, indigo, green, and more inspire a deep sense of wonder and awe.

We usually see them in winter when clearer skies allow us to see the effects of solar winds leaking through our planet’s magnetic field, which draws the charged particles towards the poles.

When solar storms occur, the intensity of solar winds is greatly magnified and the aurora is pushed further away from the poles, allowing more places to see these stunning colors in the sky. This is what happened on May 10, 2024, when the geomagnetic storm reached an "extreme" G5 level - the highest rating on the scale and the first time we've seen a G5 storm since 2003.

More moderate to strong solar storms are likely throughout 2024 as we near a phase called a "solar maximum." While solar storms are very hard to predict, historical data has shown that the sunspot activity that produces auroras waxes and wanes in roughly 11-year cycles. The solar maximum is the interval when sunspot activity peaks, increasing the likelihood of bigger and brighter auroras.

While scientists can't predict an exact date for when a solar maximum will occur, experts from space weather monitoring organizations around the world generally agree that it could take place between mid-2024 and late 2025, with NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center estimating that it could stretch into early 2026.

Here in Maine, that means auroras will likely appear far more vividly and intensely than normal. If we're lucky, we could see some of the best light shows of our lives!

In 2024, keep your eyes on the skies! The previous solar maximum (in 2014) was one of the weakest on record, but after this recent G5 storm, conditions suggest we could be in for a much more impressive solar cycle this time. If you're an avid aurora fan, cross your fingers and hope for this to be one of the best years to see this incredible natural phenomenon in all its glory. Maine is perfectly situated to see the best of it!

Have you ever seen the beautiful Northern Lights in Maine before? What’s your favorite place to go to see them? Let us know in the comments. If you want to see Maine’s beauty on the ground as well as in the sky, take this road trip to see some lovely flowers:

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/maine/flower-road-trip-spring-adventure-me/