DALLAS - The northern lights could be visible across more than 25 states due to the powerful coronal mass ejection currently hurling through space and on a collision course with Earth.
Northern lights visible in US
Northern Lights in North Denton, TX via Sherri Beil
Big picture view:
On Sunday, the sun emitted an X1.9-class solar flare, which is an eruption of energy. According to FOX Weather's Forecast Center, X-class flares represent the most intense category on the solar flare scale, with an X-class event being 10 times more powerful than a mid-range M-class flare.
On Monday, the U.S. NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued an alert about the geomagnetic storm, which is "a major disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field."
NOAA said the geomagnetic storm strengthened and reached G4 conditions (a level 4 out of 5 on NOAA’s space weather scale). If the G4 levels are reached again this evening, the agency said there is a great chance that many skywatchers in the U.S. will be able to see some northern lights.
Where to watch the northern lights
Dig deeper:
People as far south as Alabama and Northern California may be able to see the aurora during the peak of the event, according to NOAA. Farther south, cameras may pick up the faint color even if the lights are hard to see with the naked eye.
Tips for Viewing the Northern Lights
Here is what you need to know before you head out:
Go North and Dark: Find a viewing spot that is as far north as possible, and critically, away from city light pollution. Areas within the DFW Metroplex will offer less visibility than the outskirts.
Check the Sky: Make sure there are no clouds above you. Heavy cloud cover will completely obscure the lights.
How to Capture the Northern Lights with Your Phone
What you can do:
The Northern Lights across Texas: Photos
The Northern Lights were visible across Texas Tuesday night, with sightings reported as far south as Fredricksburg due to a strong geomagnetic storm. There may be another chance to see the geomagnetic storm on Wednesday.
DSLR cameras offer the best control for aurora photography, but your smartphone is perfectly capable of capturing hints of the lights. The key is stability and long exposure.
Best settings for your camera:
Turn Off the Flash: Locate and turn off the lightning bolt symbol on your camera screen.
Use Night Mode: If your phone has a dedicated Night Mode (available on iPhone 11 and later, usually indicated by a moon symbol), use it. Night Mode automatically uses a longer exposure time to gather light.
Ensure Stability: Any movement during a night shot will cause blurriness. Use a tripod, or brace your phone against a sturdy surface.
Use the Timer: To prevent camera shake from tapping the screen, use the timer feature. This gives you time to step away from the phone before the long exposure begins.
Manual Adjustments (for iPhones):
To access manual controls on an iPhone camera, tap the arrow symbol at the top of the screen. A row of controls will appear at the bottom:
Select Exposure: Tap the exposure icon (often the same moon symbol as Night Mode).
Set Max Exposure: A slider will appear. Drag the slider to the "Max" setting. This forces the longest possible exposure time, allowing the most light (and color) to hit the lens.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Associated Press, FOX Weather and previous FOX 4 coverage.