Did you see the northern lights in Ohio? You might get another chance Saturday night

From Staff Reports
Updated ·2 min read
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Greater Columbus residents were treated to views of the northern lights, with shades of pink and ribbons of green light Friday night and into Saturday morning.

An encore show may be possible Saturday night.

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center had predicted a geomagnetic storm at the G4 level, out of five possible, bringing coronal mass ejections toward Earth and views of the aurora borealis into the U.S. On Saturday, the center said G5 conditions — the most extreme level — were observed and warned satellite navigation and other technologies could be affected.

The center predicts the extreme storming will continue through Sunday and, weather-permitting, the northern lights will be visible again Saturday night.

Did you see the northern lights Friday? Share your photos with The Dispatch here.

Why are the northern lights visible in Ohio?

The sun has been emitting a series of strong solar flares since Wednesday morning. The coronal mass ejections hurtling toward Earth prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to issue a rare Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch on Thursday for the first time in 19 years. The geomagnetic storms that the CMEs would produce pose a limited threat to our communications, but they can also trigger the aurora borealis, better known as the northern lights.

And because the sun is at the height of its 11-year-cycle, the auroras have a very good chance of being seen by more Americans than usual.

When to look for the northern lights

The northern lights as seen at 10:09 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024, just north of the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.
The northern lights as seen at 10:09 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024, just north of the Ohio State University campus in Columbus.

The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases.

Astronomer Dean Regas recommended getting away from city lights and heading north for the best view. In some cases, the lights may be more visible through a phone or other camera.

How to share your northern lights photos with The Dispatch

Did you take some great photos of the northern lights over Ohio? Here's how you can share them with Dispatch readers.

When was the last time the aurora borealis was visible in Ohio?

Friday was the first time the northern lights have been seen this clearly in Ohio since Nov. 5, 2001, Regas wrote in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Astronomer Dean Regas saw the northern lights on Cincinnati's East Side on Friday, May 10, 2024. It was the first time the aurora borealis was visible in the area since Nov. 5 2001, Regas said.
Astronomer Dean Regas saw the northern lights on Cincinnati's East Side on Friday, May 10, 2024. It was the first time the aurora borealis was visible in the area since Nov. 5 2001, Regas said.

"Back then, a solar eruption rocketed from the sun and solar particles broke through the Earth's magnetic field to give a green glow to the Cincinnati skies," Regas said. "The northern lights last night were caused by a similar solar outburst a few days ago from an expansive sunspot group. The sunspots were so large that, viewing them through eclipse glasses, you could see them with the naked eye."

USA TODAY and the Cincinnati Enquirer contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can I see the northern lights tonight? Geomagnetic storm continues