PHOTOS: Viewers catch vibrant Northern Lights pass through Chicagoland area

CHICAGO — If you happened to be outside Friday night — you may have been lucky enough to witness what many would call a once in a lifetime opportunity of watching the Northern Lights pass through the Chicagoland area.

WGN Viewers were quick to send us some photos of the glimpses they caught of the Northern Lights. From Northwest Indiana to Niles. The diverse array of colors that swept the city of Chicago and its neighbors, left us all in awe.

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center issued a rare Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Friday and Saturday, a sign that the United States could soon the Northern Lights in several spots.

The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, occur when particles from a solar flare collide with molecules in the Earth’s atmosphere. The stunning show is best seen in places with very little light pollution.

According to the NOAA, an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection sparks a moderate geomagnetic storm. Numerous solar flares and coronal mass ejections are capable of sending plumes of solar radiation toward Earth, which can trigger the Northern Lights.

The NOAA reports that northern parts of Missouri and Illinois are on the projected view line of Northern Lights activity Friday evening and just south of the projected view line Saturday evening.

The view line generally represents the southern-most locations from which you may see the aurora on the northern horizon.

As of now, Saturday’s projected view lines appear to be north of St. Louis and Kansas City. In Illinois, cities around Chicago had a stronger opportunity to experience the Northern Lights on Friday.

Rural areas with no light pollution are the best locations to try to witness it all.

The forecast Wednesday shows the best place to see them in Alaska and for states along the U.S.-Canada borders.

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