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Northern Lights could be visible in Capital Region this weekend
Times Union • • science
Key Points:
- Northern lights may be visible in New York late Saturday night, particularly between 11 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday, though visibility is uncertain due to the region's lower viewing potential.
- Auroras result from solar particles interacting with Earth's atmosphere, creating colors like red and green, but this weekend's display is expected to be minor to intermediate and easier to capture with phone cameras than to see with the naked eye.
- To increase chances of viewing the northern lights, observers should face north, use long exposure or night mode on their phones, and find dark locations away from light pollution.
- In addition to the auroras, the Orionids meteor shower will peak on the night of October 21-22, producing 10 to 20 meteors per hour, though visibility may be reduced by a bright moon.
- The Orionids originate from debris left by Halley’s Comet, which is notable for its 76-year orbit and visibility to the naked eye.
