Northern Lights Could be Seen Across New York State This Week

New Yorkers might be treated to a celestial light show by the middle of this week. The Aurora Borealis could dip further south and be visible across 17 states in the U.S., according to scientists.

While the Aurora, or Northern Lights, are primarily seen in the higher latitudes closer to the North Pole, they can occasionally been witnessed as far south as New York state. One such case was in April 2023.

What Are the Northern Lights? 

The Aurora (Northern Lights) are caused by giant solar winds that carry ionized particles that end up slamming into the Earth's atmosphere near the poles. That is basically what causes the greenish ghostly lights in the sky, though they're not often seen in latitudes this far south.

Northern Lights to Return Across New York in July? 

The Democrat & Chronicle says that the Aurora could be seen above the skies of New York state Thursday. The Chronicle says that the Northern Lights may be visible “low on the horizon” across many parts of the state, though "those in counties north of the Catskills will have a better shot at catching them."

The Space Weather Prediction Center says the best time to view the aurora is usually between 10 PM and 2 AM late Wednesday into early Thursday.

See Also: Several UFO Sightings Reported Across the Hudson Valley

But while not an everyday occurrence, the Northern lights have been witnessed as far south as the Hudson Valley and the Catskills before. Sometimes, these "space weather" predictions can lead to quite a showing in the night skies above us. And sometimes not.