Northern Lights May Be Visible Over Long Island This Week

LONG ISLAND, NY — If the conditions are just right, lucky Long Islanders may be treated to a rare sight this week: the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, lighting up the sky.

According to the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, an ejection from the sun is predicted to interact with Earth Wednesday through Friday. A geometric storm watch is in effect through Friday; the height of the storm is expected Thursday.

An aurora is created when charged particles from the sun interact with the earth's magnetic field. It is usually confined to the poles, but events like this can create a stronger aurora that reaches more toward the equator than usual.

If the Northern Lights do reach Long Island, it probably won't be the waving bands in the sky that people see on television. Because of how far south Long Island is, we're more likely to get faint green glows, according to News 12. In addition, light pollution in the area could make the lights impossible to see all together.

Other factors for seeing the aurora include the weather (it's predicted to be partly cloudy Wednesday night and mostly clear Thursday night on the island), and when the particles from the sun hit the earth. If the peak of the solar storm is during the day, then we won't see anything.

If you do plan on trying to catch a glimpse, keep an eye on the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute short-term aurora forecast: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast.