The northern lights, known as the aurora borealis, are expected to be visible in several parts of the United States this Friday night. To get the best view, it’s essential to find a dark location far from artificial lights. Allow your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness, and gaze toward the northern horizon.
Capturing stunning photographs of the northern lights can be enhanced by using your phone’s night mode feature. Here’s a quick guide on how to activate this setting on both iPhone and Android devices. For iPhone users, night mode is typically enabled by default when the camera detects low-light conditions.
When activated, a yellow icon will appear in the top left corner of your screen, indicating its status. A timer next to this icon will inform you of the exposure duration. You can tap the arrow above the viewfinder to adjust the exposure time if needed.
On Android devices, the process may vary based on the model. For Samsung Galaxy users, a yellow moon icon displays in the bottom right corner when night mode is activated. Pixel device users can select ‘Night Light’, then capture images by holding the phone steady for a few seconds.
In the Google Camera app, night mode can be toggled on or off via settings. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released an “Aurora Forecast” for Friday, showing that parts of the U.S. might be able to witness the vibrant auroras. The forecast indicates that northern regions have the highest likelihood of visibility, with a line extending from Washington, D.C. across various states, including Illinois and New York, marking areas where the auroras might be observed.
The northern lights were visible across the country on Thursday night, with impressive displays captured in cities like Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago. The breathtaking colors included greens, purples, reds, and pinks. These light displays are caused by geomagnetic storms, where solar winds send charged particles toward Earth.
As these particles collide with atmospheric molecules, they create the vivid colors that characterize the northern lights.