MARQUETTE, MI— A recent solar storm is expected to create a spectacular show in U.P. skies Thursday night.
The northern lights are forecast to be visible across several states, including Alaska, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. Prime aurora borealis viewing is expected between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., local time. Optimal watching of the dancing colors will be in areas of low light pollution, away from cities.
Northern lights are created when electrically charged particles from the sun slam into Earth’s atmosphere. Most are deflected, but some are captured by the planet’s magnetic field at the north and south poles. They collide with molecules and atoms, which essentially heat up and glow. The wavy patterns of light are caused by lines of force in the Earth’s magnetic field.
