We can get ready for an amazing sight in the sky yet again! The northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, are expected to be seen across many U.S. states tonight, June 2, and tomorrow night, June 3, 2025. A KP Index of 7 or higher usually means the lights are visible in much of the northern U.S. The last big one, also a G4 level, was in May 2024 and allowed people as far south as Arizona and Texas to see the Northern Lights. Seeing the lights on June 2 and 3 could be your best chance in a long time.
Northern lights 🌌 pic.twitter.com/8ngQYqIfbu
— All day Astronomy (@forallcurious) June 2, 2025
Why Is This Happening?
This rare event is due to a coronal mass ejection (CME), a burst of solar plasma and magnetic fields hitting Earth’s atmosphere. When solar particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, they produce the green, pink, red, and purple colors of the aurora. Major geomagnetic storms like this are rare. This rare event is happening because of a strong space weather event, a G4-level geomagnetic storm. This means people in both the northern parts of the U.S. and, unusually, in more southern areas, will have a chance to see the bright, dancing lights in the sky. This exciting news comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as reported by Forbes.
Ideal Viewing Time
The ideal viewing window is 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM in local time on Sunday night of June 2 and Monday night of June 3.
This is when the skies are darkest and the geomagnetic storm’s effects are strongest. If the storm continues at G4 level, there is a good chance of seeing green, purple, and red lights rippling across the sky.
List of US States where Northern Lights will be Visible
This is the list of all the US states where Northern Lights have a high probability of appearing:
- Connecticut
- Alaska
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Vermont
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wisconsin
- Oregon
- Illinois
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Washington
- Minnesota
- Wyoming
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Michigan
- Idaho
Whether you live in the northern states or are lucky enough to see a bit of it farther south, make sure to go outside. Step away from all the noise and just look up. If the sky is clear, and you have a little patience and are away from bright city lights, you might see an amazing show that most people only dream about. Do not miss this chance; the sky could put on its most magical display ever.
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