The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday into Friday after an outburst from the sun was detected earlier this week. Such a storm could temporarily disrupt power and radio signals.
The storm also may trigger northern lights as far south in the U.S. as the lower Midwest and Northern California, though exact locations and times are uncertain, according to NOAA.
May's solar storm produced dazzling auroras across the Northern Hemisphere and resulted in no major disruptions.
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Pale auroras may be visible but the storms could still intensify or weaken over the weekend.
CAN YOU SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN NORTH TEXAS?
The Austin American-Statesman reports residents in the northernmost parts of Texas may be able to see the aurora borealis from Thursday night unto early Sunday morning.
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The Northern Lights may be viewable to the naked eye in the northern Panhandle and Amarillo according to the Statesman, and cities around the Dallas-Fort Worth area may see the celestial glow with a good camera in a low-light setting.
As for the colors -- red auroras occur much higher in the atmosphere, between 180 and 300 miles above the surface, while green auroras occur about 60 miles above the surface.
THE BEST WAY TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND CAPTURE THEM ON CAMERA
Skygazers are reminded to get away from city lights, between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. and point their smartphones upward for photos; cell phone cameras often can capture auroras that human eyes cannot.
There are several websites that explain the best way to capture the aurora on an iPhone as well as Android phone. There are even step by step instructions posted on an Apple discussion board.
The sun’s magnetic field is currently at the peak of its 11-year cycle, making solar storms and northern lights more frequent.
