Aurora Borealis: Stunning Show This Weekend

0:00It's April 17th. You're listening to Tampa Bay News today, AI-powered local news. A moderate geomagnetic storm is set to light up the northern lights across nearly 20 states this Friday night and to early Saturday morning, April 17th through 18th. Noah's Space Weather Prediction Center calls it a G2-level event, making the Aurora Borealis visible farther south than usual. The prime viewing window hits between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when skies get darkest. States with the strongest shot include Washington, Idaho, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. You might catch glimpses too, in Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, plus New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, especially if the storm pulses stronger. These storms come from the sun's wild magnetic fields, firing off plasma bursts called coronal mass ejections, or even from coronal holes like the one, sparking this watch.

1:02Back in the early 1600s, Galileo spotted sunspots tied to this action, those massive dark patches fueling the flares. While stunning, they can mess with power grids and coms, though this moderate ones low risk. To spot the lights, head to a dark spot far from city glow, facing north with clear skies, the less light pollution, the brighter they'll dance. Think greens and purples waving like cosmic curtains. Keep your eyes peeled tonight folks, nature's putting on a free show reminding us the sun's guy rhythm too, bundle up and chase that glow.