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Northern Lights visible Thursday night. Here's what to know

By Bob Connors • •

NBC Universal, Inc. The Northern lights, also called an aurora borealis, are moving waves of lights seen in the night sky.

Update: A geomagnetic storm is giving us quite a show Thursday night. People across the state are reporting seeing the Northern Lights just after sundown.

NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has been monitoring the sun after a strong solar flare and coronal mass ejection that began Tuesday night.

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The solar activity was so strong, that space forecasters have issued a severe (G4) geomagnetic storm watch for Thursday and Friday. A watch at that level is very rare, according to the SWPC.

The good news is that the coronal mass ejection gives us a good chance to see the Northern Lights both Thursday night and Friday night. In fact, forecasters say this storm includes the potential for the Aurora Borealis to be seen as far south as Alabama.

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Eileen Sweet
Heritage Village, Southbury
Cynthia Crabb
It started small, but eventually encompassed about half the visible sky.
Natalie Garrison
Picture of Aurora in killingworth, ct
Brittany Piacenza
The northern lights made a rare and stunning appearance over the fields of Taft School, casting vibrant colors across the night sky. My husband, a teacher at the school, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to venture out and witness the spectacle firsthand. Set against the dark, quiet backdrop of the campus, the auroras danced in brilliant shades of green and purple, providing a breathtaking glimpse of nature’s magic.
Tricia Sullivan
Just outside our front door. This picture barely does it justice, it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen.
Teresa Myers
Over our open field
Laurie Hafkemeyer
Northern Lights this morning
Teresa Myers
From over the farm
Keith Freeland
Northern lights from Central Street in Leominster, Massachusetts.

The bad news? The severity of the solar activity could also lead to disruptions in satellite operations, communications, radio, navigation, and even the electric power grid. The SWPC has contacted operators of those systems so that they can take precautions to protect the systems.

If you get photos of the Northern Lights, share them with us here.

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