CNY could see Northern Lights Saturday night

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) – Central New Yorkers could be treated to a spectacular view overhead Saturday night!

With a geomagnetic storm affecting the Earth, this means the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, could be visible in our sky.

The geomagnetic storm is a result of a coronal mass ejection from the sun that took place on Thursday. This is a process by which a solar flare creates a large suspension of plasma. Particles of that plasma then travel toward the Earth, interact with the polar magnetic fields, and enter our atmosphere.

As these particles meet up with different gases our atmosphere is comprised of, this is when the bright, colorful glow appears.

Here in Central New York, those bright strands of green and purple have the potential to be seen beginning later this evening.

To get the best view, we need minimal cloud cover overhead. It is also recommended that you get somewhere well away from the influence of city lights in a completely dark area and look north after 10 p.m.

There will be a bunch of lake clouds southeast of Lake Ontario unfortunately the bulk of tonight, but there could be better viewing conditions with a bit more clearing possible towards morning.

If you get a great picture of the Northern Lights, don’t forget to share it with us!

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