The aurora borealis may be visible this week in Massachusetts

A series of powerful explosions of hot plasma coming from the Sun is expected to cause a powerful aurora, with the potential to light up the night sky over Massachusetts. The National Weather Service’s geomagnetic storm watch is based on observations of four coronal mass ejections over the past few days. The most recent was a very strong flare that erupted from the sun on Wednesday. “As this energy moves toward Earth, we have a chance to see the northern lights on Thursday and Friday nights,” StormTeam 5 meteorologist Mike Wankom said. “The best chance will be towards Canada, but it is possible to see something as far south as the Mass Pike.” >> StormTeam 5 Resources: Forecast Details | Skies over Massachusetts should be mostly clear Thursday night and early Friday morning, Wankum said. Sky watchers should look north, and it’s also best to stay away from city lights. A coronal mass ejection is an explosion of charged material from the Sun that can trigger geomagnetic storms when it hits the Earth’s atmosphere.

Cheryl Riley

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