(WWJ) – Michiganders may be in for a treat in the night sky this week as the northern lights are expected to be visible.
Michigan is expected to be one of 17 states where the aurora borealis could be seen on Wednesday and Thursday. Particularly, parts of the state have the best chance of seeing the phenomenon on Thursday, when the Kp-index – which ranks auroral activity on a scale from 0-9 with nine being the strongest – will be at Kp 6.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center says the best time to view the northern lights is typically between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time.
The best way to do so is by picking a spot with little light pollution, at a higher elevation if possible, and checking the forecasts for signs of clouds or rain. And while “northern” is in the name, the lights can appear in any direction.
Speaking live on WWJ Sunday afternoon, National Weather Service Meteorologist Dave Cook said our forecast is for "pretty clear skies" on Thursday.
"I think if you can find a dark enough area, you may be able to see them over Southern Michigan," Cook said.
The northern lights are “an atmospheric phenomenon that’s regarded as the Holy Grail of sky watching,” according to Space.com.
The phenomenon happens during a geomagnetic storm when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field, causing atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow typically green, red and purple.
The northern lights were visible in some parts of Northern Michigan back in April.
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