Michiana could catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights Thursday morning

By: David Caulfield Facebook | Twitter

Posted: Dec 9, 2020 9:40 PM EDT

NOW: Michiana could catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights Thursday morning

UPDATE: Latest space weather guidance has pushed the timing back to Thursday evening and possibly out of good viewing with clouds moving in.

Check that, DON'T wake up early. The arrival of the G3 storm now looks to be Thursday EVENING. #northernlights

Good news it should be dark enough by 7:00 PM we'll see about sky conditions. pic.twitter.com/FSA91Aljwy
— Tom Coomes (@TomCoomes) December 10, 2020

A powerful geomagnetic storm will bring the chance of seeing the Northern Lights to Michiana Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

In recent years I've seen a lot of #northernlights hope and hype.

They aren't seen much in the lower-48.

They are more likely to accompany G3 or higher electromagnetic storms.

Something that doesn't happen much during a solar minimum like we are now, be patient. pic.twitter.com/WwdVcNmiJr
— Tom Coomes (@TomCoomes) December 9, 2020

However, don't expect the aurora to be dancing above your head anytime soon. While you could catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, keep in mind that most of the really picturesque photography of the aurora is taken over multiple seconds.

For Michiana, the "Northern Lights experience" is harder to see, and takes luck, skill, and timing.

So there is a lot of buzz about potential #SolarStorm heading our way. The SWPC issued a G3 Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Thursday, Dec 10th. Yellow line on the map shows the furthest southward potential for the #NorthernLights could be observed.https://t.co/peTr0Sbefw #OHwx #PAwx pic.twitter.com/4RMWXcZYTB
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) December 9, 2020

To maximize your chances, head out early Thursday morning (when the solar storm is the strongest). Give your eyes at least 20 minutes to get used to the darkness. Try to get a full view of the horizon, away from light pollution and obstruction from trees and buildings.

If everything lines up just right, you might be able to see a green haze off in the distance.

We'll be sure to post any photos we get of the aurora on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Good luck, Michiana stargazers!