Amazing Chance To See Northern Lights Tonight in Minnesota + IL

A magical display of Northern Lights is possible on Thursday night in 17 different states including Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and even Northern Illinois!

Credit: Sidney Williams

Northern Lights Possible Thursday Night in Minnesota + Northern Illinois

Another spectacular night to see the Northern Lights is in front of us! Based on the latest prediction from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website, you may want to try to stay awake a little bit longer tonight because the Aurora Forecast for Thursday, September 12th is promising.

Below you can see the red line for the possible viewing area of the Northern Lights. It encompasses 17 states including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

noaa.gov

Tips to See the Northern Lights Tonight

I've had some pretty successful evenings the past few years seeing the Northern Lights. Every time I've gone out with the hope of catching them, I've followed these tips:

Drive away from the city lights. This typically means getting off the main roads and finding a country road that doesn't have any type of lighting nearby.
Park away from a farm or street lights. (And please, for the love of all things, do NOT park on the edge of a busy road. This is extremely dangerous!)
Take a photo with your phone of the sky - if you see green or purple on the photo when you look at it, that is probably the Northern Lights. This also helps you realize where they are if so you can attempt to view it with just your eyes.

Get our free mobile app

What'sThe Best Time To See The Northern Lights?

I'm a night owl so staying up past midnight isn't an issue for me. If you aren't someone who stays up late and you want to look for the Northern Lights tonight, you may want to grab some coffee right now.

Based on the info at Discovertheworld.com and my own personal viewing, the best times to see the Northern Lights is between 9:00 pm and 2:00 am. The lights are typically the brightest though between 11:00 pm and Midnight but I've had some remarkable sightings at 10:00 pm too. Keep an eye on the NOAA.gov website too because they also have a dashboard that shows where the aurora will be in the next few minutes.

Get our free mobile app

LOOK: 34 Northern Lights Photos That Are Better Than What You Saw On Social Media

Space.com describes the phenomenon as an event where "energize particles of the sun" collide with the upper atmosphere. The particles are redirected thanks to the Earth's magnetic field which then creates the colorful nighttime lights. Conditions on May 10-12 helped push the Northern Lights farther south.

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll