Topline
According to a forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Northern Lights could be visible from some northern states again on Sunday evening and in the coming days as the effects of coronal mass ejections arrive and interact with Earth over the next few days.
Ejections from the sun could cause the Northern Lights to become visible further south this week.
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Important facts
NOAA meteorologists predicted a Kp index of five out of nine for Sunday night, meaning the northern lights could appear further south, with increased brightness and activity, including “movement and formation.”
Earth could also see the effects of smaller geomagnetic storms caused by the arrival of coronal mass ejections, NOAA said in its latest three-day space weather forecast.
What are Coronal Mass Ejections?
According to NOAA, coronal mass ejections are bursts of plasma and magnetic fields that emerge from the sun's corona, the outermost layer of the atmosphere. These ejections are typically much stronger than ordinary background solar winds and often occur in conjunction with solar flares. When these ejections interact with the Earth's magnetic field, they can cause geomagnetic storms that can cause the Northern Lights to be visible farther south than usual, including in the lower 48 states.