# Northern Lights Happening Starting Friday Night (May 10) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 10, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363 "2024-05-10T13:41:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/1 "2024-05-10T13:41:57Z")
> **[Friday night lights: Aurora to glow over northern US](https://www.accuweather.com/en/space-news/friday-night-lights-aurora-to-glow-over-northern-us/1649195)** > > The rare opportunity to see the northern lights will present itself to stargazers this weekend across part of the United States, as long as cloudy weather doesn't interfere. Unfortunately it is forecast to be cloudy where I live. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/2 "2024-05-10T16:15:46Z")
Even if it’s not hazy and cloudy overnight for the first time in years I’m in the _Poor_ viewing zone. No more than 10 years ago all it took was patience to spot some decent meteors. Can barely see any stars now. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/3 "2024-05-10T17:09:15Z")
From a big coronal mass ejection. Recall those red prominences from the eclipse? [are they they same thing or related somehow?] [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/swpc-issues-its-first-g4-watch-2005](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/swpc-issues-its-first-g4-watch-2005) As far south as Alabama possibly. DANG. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/4 "2024-05-10T17:29:39Z")
Moderating: This being a duplicate of another thread, let’s combine them. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/5 "2024-05-10T18:18:43Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > are they they same thing or related somehow? Some prominences eject CMEs rather than “settling back down”, if the underlying magnetic flux “snap” violently enough to detach and accelerate some of the entrained plasma. > **[Solar Prominences | Center for Science Education](https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/sun-space-weather/solar-prominence)** > > Solar Prominences are large, loop-like structures that extend from the surface of the Sun. > Prominences can last for several days or up to several months. Some prominences erupt and break apart, giving rise to coronal mass ejections (CMEs). ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/6 "2024-05-10T18:24:01Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Unfortunately it is forecast to be cloudy where I live. Here too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/7 "2024-05-10T18:35:30Z")
Rrggh, never saw this thread when I started my own, since it didn’t contain my search term “aurora”… 🤬 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/8 "2024-05-10T19:46:34Z")
There goes my shortwave plans for the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/9 "2024-05-10T22:48:59Z")
Some people saw CMEs and solar prominences during the eclipse last month, and some of THEM thought they were things like Nibiru getting recharged. Nope, nope, nope. They’re natural phenomena that we usually can’t see because the Sun itself blots them out. Here’s what the Oatmeal has said about variations of this. (Warning: contains profanity.) > **[Celestial events - The Oatmeal](https://theoatmeal.com/comics/celestial_events)** > > A comic about meteor showers, eclipses, and other celestial events. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/10 "2024-05-10T22:59:57Z")
I clicked on the OP link and when I first saw the viewing conditions graphic, I assumed lighter is better for appoximately a second and thought, yeah! Then I saw the condition key showed the exact opposite. The entire state of Michigan, top part and bottom part, are in the ‘poor’ zone. WAH wah. [![](https://cms.accuweather.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aurora-Weather-forecast-1.jpg?w=632) ](https://cms.accuweather.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aurora-Weather-forecast-1.jpg?w=632) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/11 "2024-05-10T23:10:40Z")
Looks like I’m in an area of “Fair” visibility, but it’s supposed to be partly cloudy so not ideal. I will note that I’ve never seen an aurora and don’t expect to see anything tonight. But who knows – until last month I had never seen a total solar eclipse, either. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/12 "2024-05-10T23:18:38Z")
We are driving up north, planning 3 hours BUT maybe we can hit Cheyenne, eat dinner and drive out where it is dark and see the Aurora. Anyone know how high above the horizon that would be? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/13 "2024-05-10T23:25:22Z")
Aww no, I’m in Texas… ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2024, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/14 "2024-05-10T23:31:37Z")
At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/15 "2024-05-11T01:19:25Z")
I’ll probably go out and take a look. But I’ve seen the aurora lotsa times. Mainly in winter, so seeing it in May would be a “huh, that’s interesting,” moment. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/16 "2024-05-11T01:33:51Z")
It’s now night here in southern Ontario, and naturally, not a damn thing is happening, aurora-wise. It’s partly cloudy, though, but still some clear sky. As I expected, the aurora once again eludes me. I’ve long been convinced that there’s actually no such thing, and anyone who claims to have seen an aurora is just hallucinating. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/17 "2024-05-11T01:40:46Z")
You need to hang out with guys who won’t bogart their joints, man. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/18 "2024-05-11T01:44:40Z")
I saw that meteorologist on CNN talking some scary crap happening to the electrical grid and satellites. It won’t show in the sky here. But can we expect outages everywhere? And interruptions to satellite based things? Internet. TV. Cel phones. Airplane travel. Just wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/19 "2024-05-11T01:48:29Z")
I’m in Central Indiana, and am hopeful I’ll finally get to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363/20 "2024-05-11T01:55:58Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen? It’s more likely than you think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/northern-lights-happening-starting-friday-night-may-10/1001363.md?page=2)