ORLANDO, Fla. — Some Central Florida residents Tuesday night experienced a rare sight: a view of the northern lights.
For the first time in years, conditions allowed the spectacular sight to be viewed in parts of the Sunshine State.
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What were those conditions? And will the northern lights again appear Wednesday night?
How Auroras Form
The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are products of intense solar storms that hit the Earth’s atmosphere.
The storms, often called a solar wind, are charged electrons and protons that are emitted from the sun.
These particles do not move in a straight line toward Earth.
Instead, they follow the Earth’s magnetic field and eventually enter the Earth’s atmosphere at the poles.
This is why the most visible auroras are in the Arctic and in parts of Antarctica.
The electrons as they enter the atmosphere collide with various molecules.
The collisions result in various colors based on height and the type of molecules that are hit.
Red, green and pink auroras are products of a collision of oxygen molecules, while blue auroras are a result of a collision with nitrogen molecules.
Repeat Performance Wednesday Night?
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, G4 levels were achieved Tuesday night.
This is considered a severe geomagnetic storm and resulted in the aurora being viewed across much of the United States.
The Space Weather Prediction Center is forecasting G4 conditions again Wednesday night. However, a repeat performance is not guaranteed.
Forecasting the aurora can be difficult, and a similar geomagnetic condition does not result in the same aurora forming.
The best chance to see the aurora Wednesday night will be in the northern US.
While it is unlikely to see it in Florida, it is possible during the overnight.
Lower coverage of the aurora is anticipated for Thursday night.
Regardless of the outcome in the coming days, Florida residents were treated to a sight rarely seen this far south.
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