Ready for another dazzling spectacle, stargazers?

It’s no secret that mid-to-late August marks the beginning of aurora season in the northern hemisphere, but tonight’s colorful display looks especially enchanting as the northern lights make an appearance across parts of the U.S. starting as early as this evening.

The northern lights result from geomagnetic storms when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Their visibility depends on a number of factors, including intensity and location.

According to NOAA’s forecast , tonight’s round of auroras is a result of a minor geomagnetic storm, measured at a value of G1 on a scale of G1 to G5. Still, the Kp index — highlighting an approximate guide to the intensity of aurora displays — may reach up to 5.

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