Dazzling Northern Lights Display May Light Up New York Skies

We may get lucky and catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights over New York.

The Northern Lights, or aurora borealis as they're technically called, will light up the night sky over several U.S. states if Mother Nature cooperates, including Upstate New York.

Auroral activity is predicted to be high on Thursday, July 13 in parts of Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Maryland, New York, New Hampshire, Washington, Vermont, Idaho, Massachusetts, Wyoming, and Indiana could see a colorful night sky.

Credit - Kurt Gardner

Aurora Borealis

The Northern Lights are caused by the interaction between the sun’s solar winds and Earth’s magnetic field, according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.

“Aurora is the name given to the glow or light produced when electrons from space flow down Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules of the upper atmosphere in a ring or oval centered on the magnetic pole of Earth."

Credit - Kurt Gardner

Best Viewing Time

The best time to view the lights is normally within an hour or two of midnight. So, sometime between 10 PM and 2 AM. And you'll need to find a dark place, away from the city lights, to see the prism of floating color, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.

The aurora’s colorful green, red, and purple light shifts gently and often changes shape like softly blowing curtains.

Credit - Shane Muckey

When to See

Charles Deehr, a professor emeritus, and aurora forecaster at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute, says you'll need a little patience too.

"Active periods are typically about 30 minutes long and occur every two hours, if the activity is high. The aurora is a sporadic phenomenon, occurring randomly for short periods or perhaps not at all."

Credit - Patrick Bly Photography

Northern Lights From Home

You can see also the Northern Lights without leaving your house. The Canadian Space Agency has a live camera of the skies above Yellowknife, one of the best places to see the spectacular light show.

A number of photographers have captured the beauty of Mother Nature, lighting up the Adirondacks, over the past few years. Take a look at their stunning work.

Photographer Captures Stunning Northern Lights Show in Adirondacks

Shane Muckey captured stunning pictures of the Northern Lights in the Adirondacks.

Bronx Photographer Captures Magnificent Milky Way in Adirondacks

A photographer from the Bronx who often makes it up to the Adirondacks, captured a magnificent photo of the Milky Way that has gone viral.

Photographer Captures Stunning Northern Lights In Old Forge

It's not really common to see northern lights in Central New York, but photographer Kurt Gardner captured the beautiful conformation of them near Old Forge.

Stunning Photos Of Powerful Northern Lights In The Adirondacks

A solar storm hit Earth and brought with it a spectacular light show visible as far south as New York. In the Adirondacks, one photographer captured all of the magic.

Meet Patrick Bly. He's the man responsible for these amazing photos of the Northern Lights in the Adirondacks.