Northern Lights May Be Visible in Upstate New York Tonight

Looking for a show tonight (Thursday, September 12th?) Well, Mother Nature has one all set for you to admire.

While this event will be best viewed from Alaska and Canada, the Northeastern U.S. states as well as states in the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest will be treated to have a chance to view the Auroras Borealis, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.

17 states in all may have the opportunity to view this amazing phenomenon, including New York State. Pennsylvania unfortunately is not on the list of states where the Northern Lights will be visible.

For the Southern Tier of New York, it appears we are on the south fringe, so it is a tossup whether we'll see anything, but it's worth checking out tonight.

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USA Today says, "If the forecasted geomagnetic storm levels are met, the eruption of solar material and magnetic fields will present the beloved natural lights in the sky." And, you can safely view the Northern Lights without the use of a telescope.

If all aligns well for us, and the skies are clear enough, it should be a cool show. And maybe you could get in a few photos of the Northern Lights as well.

According to the Inspired By Iceland website, you don't need a fancy camera to get a decent photo. Most smartphones will be able to capture the Northern Lights just fine.

The website does suggest that you experiment in advance beforehand to get it right. Practice and getting your settings correct are paramount. Happy viewing (I hope!)