Northern lights may be visible across US this weekend
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a watch for moderate geomagnetic storms, which may make the northern lights visible across parts of the northern United States this weekend. The display is caused by coronal mass ejections from the sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field.
Why it matters
This provides public interest information regarding a natural phenomenon and explains the underlying scientific cause of the aurora borealis.
Hear this story The northern lights could be visible across parts of the northern United States this weekend as geomagnetic storms triggered by activity on the sun increase the chances of aurora displays.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a watch for moderate (G2) geomagnetic storms on Sunday, Oct. 11, according to an Oct. 9 announcement from the agency .
The forecast covers the expected arrival of two coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, which are eruptions of material and magnetic fields from the sun. The eruptions left the sun on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, and forecasters expect the faster-moving eruption to merge with the earlier one on its way to Earth, according to NOAA.
The resulting activity could make the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights , visible across some northern and upper Midwest states.
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