30 northern US states will be able to see the northern lights tonight. Here's where.

[conuly]

However, don't hold your breath if you happen to live in an urban area.

Comments

[acelightning73]

I live near Sandy Hook, NJ, just south of Manhattan. If I look north to see the Aurora, the city lights will outshine it.

When I was about twelve, I was with my family at the family "summer cottage" in New Hampshire. My same-age cousin and I were standing on the dock in the lake, lighting sparklers and seeing how well we could make them imitate professional fireworks. I thought I heard a sound, and I turned back towards the cottage. And in the sky above the house, I saw an amorphous glowing red cloud, constantly twisting and changing shape, and it was due north, of course.I told my cousin to run back and tell everyone to come out and look.

I have been trying to see the aurora again ever since. I once went to Iceland, and the whole time I was there was rainy and overcast. I flew home to JFK and landed in the middle of a blizzard, retrieved my car from "long term parking" and drove back to New Jersey in a horrible storm.

My husband and son and I flew to Montreal, rented a car, and drove out along the Saint Laurence River towards the Gaspe Peninsula, to try to see the lights. Once again, a rainy storm system followed us all the way. I did get to visit Eole (a vertical-axis wind generator at Cap-Chat). My son saw a moose next to the road. I got to use my extremely limited French, to the amazement of the menfolk. So I haven't yet seen the Aurora since 1959.