The stunning and famous northern lights might dazzle a significant number of Americans this Friday night, thanks to an anticipated solar storm heading toward Earth.

Also known as the aurora borealis, this breathtaking natural display is celebrated for its enchanting visuals at both of the Earth’s poles. However, the upcoming solar storm, which carries a slight risk to satellites, GPS signals, and power systems, will allow for broader visibility of the lights this time.

When particles from the solar storm engage with Earth’s magnetosphere, this powerful outburst will likely illuminate the vibrant auroras further from the poles than usual.

Here’s what you should know about the northern lights and how you can see them this weekend.

Where can you see the auroras?

Typically, auroras are best observed near the magnetic poles in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, particularly in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. In the United States, Alaska is renowned for offering the prime spots to experience the northern lights.

However, the impending solar storm is expected to extend the range of visibility for the auroras, according to NOAA’s three-day forecast. The geomagnetic activity reported by NOAA shows a Kp index of 5, indicating that the northern lights may appear even more vivid than usual.

“If you’re in the right location, these auroras can be truly beautiful,” says NOAA.

In the U.S., more than a dozen northern states might have a chance to see the auroras based on the Space Weather Prediction Center’s experimental Aurora visibility line. Keep in mind that local weather and city lights will also affect visibility.

States where the auroras could be visible on Friday include:

• Washington
• Idaho
• Montana
• North Dakota
• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• Michigan

A thin red ‘viewline’ that indicates the furthest southern locations where the aurora might be seen on the northern horizon stretches to:

• Wyoming
• South Dakota
• Iowa
• New York
• Vermont
• New Hampshire
• Maine

What’s the best time to view northern lights?

Solar storms release particles from the sun that become trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, leading to the formation of colorful auroras as these particles interact with gases in the atmosphere. This weekend, the glowing displays might be particularly impressive if you look up at the right moment.

Even with optimal conditions for aurora sightings, predicting the exact times and locations of these displays remains a challenge for experts. Even the most accurate forecasts can only be made days, or sometimes just hours, before the events occur.

As a general guideline, if the skies are clear, the best time to catch a glimpse of the auroras is usually within an hour or two of midnight, according to NOAA. To enhance your chances, it’s advisable to escape the brightness of urban areas and head to darker locations free from light pollution.

NOAA also offers an aurora dashboard that helps skywatchers monitor auroral activity.

What creates the northern lights?

The northern lights are a natural light display in the sky that are best observed in high-latitude areas of the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

This spectacular display occurs when charged particles from space enter Earth’s atmosphere and collide with gases like oxygen and nitrogen. This interaction gives energy to atmospheric particles, which release that energy as light when they return to their normal state, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, which tracks these occurrences.

As the auroras form, Earth’s magnetic field directs the particles towards the poles, resulting in a breathtaking array of rays, spirals, and flickers that have captivated humans for ages. The specific colors—green, red, blue, or even pink—that illuminate the sky depend on the altitude of the collisions, as well as the atmospheric conditions at that moment.

Why is northern lights activity increasing?

Currently, as the sun reaches its peak in its 11-year cycle, increased solar activity is more frequently creating “space weather” conditions that favor the occurrence of northern lights.

Areas with intense magnetic activity on the sun’s surface, known as sunspots, are becoming more common and can unleash powerful bursts of radiation resulting in solar flares that travel to Earth at light speed, according to NOAA. Some flares may be accompanied by coronal mass ejections, which are clouds of plasma and charged particles released from the sun’s outer layer, the corona.

When these ejections collide with Earth’s magnetosphere—our shielding from the more severe effects of space weather—they can generate geomagnetic storms, leading to magnificent displays of northern lights even in regions where they’re not typically seen.

Additionally, with NASA forecasting that the solar maximum will continue until 2025, those chasing the auroras will have plenty of opportunities to witness these stunning light shows.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news.