You'll be able to see the northern lights from 11 U.S. states this weekend
Thanks to a geomagnetic storm, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of the northern lights across the northern United States this Labor Day weekend.
Pending a cloud-free night, the light phenomenon will be visible along the northern border of the U.S. from Washington to Maine on Saturday and Sunday, with the peak on Sunday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. People in parts of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, and Maine could all be in for the show, WNEM reports.
Aurora borealis is the result of electrons colliding with the Earth's atmosphere, propelling the atoms to higher energy states. When they fall back to lower states, the energy is released in the form of light, similar to the way a neon light works, according to the NOAA. The storm aligns with the new moon, making for a darker night sky and better viewing conditions.
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Check out this map from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute to see if you are in for some northern lights viewing this weekend.
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Taylor Watson is audience engagement editor for TheWeek.com and a former editorial assistant. She graduated from Syracuse University, with a major in magazine journalism and minors in food studies and nutrition. Taylor has previously written for Runner's World, Vice, and more.
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