当前太阳周期的高峰正在进行，给美国几个州带来了壮观的北极光。
一场中等强度的太阳风暴给美国大陆最北部的州带来了北极光的景象。美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)空间天气预报中心评定为这场风暴的强度在周日和周一的9分制中，这是5分，这意味着在美国大陆最有可能看到这种显示的是爱达荷州、明尼苏达州、蒙大拿州、北达科他州、华盛顿和威斯康星州。
根据美国国家海洋和大气管理局的说法，观看条件也很有利，但在爱荷华州、缅因州、密歇根州、新罕布什尔州、纽约州、南达科他州、佛蒙特州和怀俄明州的部分地区可能性较小极光预报视线.
太阳目前正处于其太阳活动高峰期，这意味着太阳活动和能量释放是其周期中最高的阶段。根据NOAA的说法，这反过来在过去几个月中导致北极光活动增加，因为日冕物质抛射(CME)——从太阳日冕中大量驱逐磁化等离子体——传播到地球，并与地球外层大气中的原子和分子相互作用，在夜空中产生绿色到粉红色的光谱。
北极光的准确时间和位置很难预测，因为太阳距离我们9300万英里，日冕物质抛射到达地球通常需要几天时间，根据太空专家的说法.
你可以通过一个名为的公民科学平台来注册你所在地区可能会看到极光的警报极光龙。该平台还可以根据用户报告，实时发送关于哪里可以看到北极光的警报。
根据NOAA的说法，午夜前后是观看北极光的最佳时间。通过选择远离光污染的取景地和确保你的眼睛适应黑暗，确保黑暗的环境，也可以增强观看体验。
根据，智能手机和数码相机对捕捉极光中的一系列颜色也更敏感美国国家航空航天局.
These US states could see the northern lights tonight
The peak of the current solar cycle is ongoing, bringing spectacular views of the northern lights to several U.S. states.
A moderate solar storm is bringing a view of the aurora borealis to the northernmost states in the continental U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center rated themagnitude of this stormas a five out of a scale of nine for Sunday and Monday, meaning the highest possibility of the display being visible in the continental U.S. would be in states including Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin.
Viewing conditions are also favorable but less likely for parts of Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming, according to NOAA'saurora forecast viewline.
The sun is currently in its solar maximum, meaning the stage of its cycle when solar activity and energy discharge is the highest. That in turn has been producing an uptick in northern lights activity over the past several months as coronal mass ejections (CME) – large expulsions of magnetized plasma from the Sun's corona – travel to Earth and interact with the atoms and molecules in Earth's outer atmosphere, creating the spectrum of green to pink colors in the night sky, according to NOAA.
The exact timing and location of the northern lights is difficult to predict because the sun is 93 million miles away, and it often takes days for the CMEs to reach Earth,according to space experts.
You can sign up for alerts that an aurora may be visible in your area by using a citizen science platform calledAurorasaurus. The platform can also send alerts regarding where the northern lights are being seen in real time, based on user reports.
The hours before and after midnight are the best times to view the northern lights, according to NOAA. Ensuring a dark setting, both by choosing a viewing site away from light pollution and ensuring your eyes stay adjusted to the dark, also enhance the viewing experience.
Smartphones and digital cameras are also more sensitive to capturing the array of colors in the aurora displays, according toNASA.
