Friday night through early Sunday morning, forecasters predict that all parts of Michigan stand a chance of witnessing the Northern Lights. This phenomenon is expected as plasma and magnetic fields from a coronal mass ejection are projected to intersect with Earth's atmosphere.
Melissa Kaelin, the founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers organization, explained, "What happens is charged particles come filtering into Earth's atmosphere, then they collide with molecules of oxygen and nitrogen and different air molecules to emit light. And that's how we get the glow."
Kaelin added that the aurora should be observable from any location in Michigan with clear skies, though finding such conditions might prove challenging this weekend.
"If it's strong enough, and if your skies are dark enough and your night vision is good enough, you might actually be able to see this right outside your back door or front door. Look to the north," she advised.
This weekend's atmospheric spectacle is predicted to be widespread, potentially visible as far south as California, due to a severe geomagnetic storm. Accompanied by a warning regarding intense activity in Earth's magnetic field that could impact satellites and power grids, the best aurora viewing experience can be had under clear skies while looking north.
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