Home Care In Aurora, IL

The Northern Lights made a rare appearance across southern Illinois Tuesday night.

This is a rare event according to Bob Baer, the Director of SIU's public astronomy observation program. The lights are normally visible at points further north, but during Tuesday's event, the lights were seen as far south as Texas.

The Northern Lights are caused when the sun experiences a coronal mass ejection sending particles out into space. These solar flares sometimes head towards earth entering the atmosphere.

Baer explains, "The one that we saw last night was the result in X-class solar fire. We've had three of those just over the last week, actually, and that's why we're seeing this activity this week."

Baer says we've experienced sightings like this 2 or three times over the past few years because the sun is in an active period with more solar flares. But astronomers believe the sun is headed towards a period of less activity.

These solar flares can affect communications networks and the power grid on earth. But Baer says those impacts on earth are rare. However, there are concerns regarding communications satellites in orbit around the earth, "They're out in space, so they don't get protected as much as we do by the Earth's magnetic field and, of course, the atmosphere. And what it does to those is it can cause them to degrade. It can actually cause damage to some of those space-based systems."

Baer is leading a team of citizen volunteers recording solar flares like this. They'll share the data with NASA so they can watch the flares evolve, learning more about how they work.

If you'd like the current space weather forecast, go to: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

Following a dazzling display of the northern lights across much of the U.S. Tuesday night, another spectacular show is expected late Wednesday.

Tuesday night's geomagnetic activity reached severe levels according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. The Planetary K-index, a measure of how disturbed the Earth's geomagnetic field is as it gets pelted by charged particles emitted from the sun, maxed out at 8.67 on a scale of 0 to 9. This prompted northern lights sightings as far south as Texas, and a bright light show in the Chicago area between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Tonight's geomagnetic activity is again forecast to reach a K-index of 8 – a severe geomagnetic storm capable of producing widespread northern lights. If NOAA's forecast verifies, northern lights will again be spotted across the U.S. and certainly in the Chicago area.

The sun sets at 4:32 p.m. Wednesday in Chicago. Your best chance of seeing the northern lights this evening will come as geomagnetic activity peaks between 6 p.m. and midnight. While a few high clouds will move through the area, they should be transparent enough that you can still see the light show.

Geomagnetic storms of this magnitude are rare, only occurring roughly 60 days per 11-year solar cycle, or 1.4% of the time according to NOAA. They can cause voltage control problems on long power lines, increase radiation levels for astronauts in spacewalk, interfere with GPS accuracy and high-frequency radio signals, and even cause aircraft to reroute farther from the poles where interference is highest.

What is the best way to see the Northern Lights tonight?

Light pollution makes the northern lights harder to see, but there are things you can do even if you live in the city that can improve your chances of catching the show tonight.

If you have a camera or cell phone, that also improves your changes; both are capable of getting better images than you may see with the naked eye since they essentially take in more light and read the colors more vividly, according to Nick Sinnott, owner of Chicago Photography Classes.

Among his key tips: find the darkest space you can get, get your phone on a tripod or sturdy surface and try to put something in the foreground for better composition. And if you find yourself near a pro, don't be afraid to reach out.

"What you will see is a lot of photographers out there with tripods. Don't be afraid to go up and talk to them. Ask them, because we've got a really really wonderful photographic community here in Chicago, and it certainly will be willing to show you your shots and point you in the right direction," Sinnott said.

First heading toward the lakefront or other areas with less pollution will help. Sinnott said Montroe and North Avenue beaches are both good, as is the area around the Adler Planetarium.

He also said your best photos might take a few seconds for your camera to capture, as long exposures help pick up the colors, so be sure to have patience.

In:

Residents across Illinois shared pictures online of dazzling colors painting the sky early Wednesday morning as the northern lights came into view.

Those who missed it may be able to view the phenomenon Wednesday night thanks to another powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) headed for Earth.

The northern lights arrived Nov. 11 after scientists with NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center discovered two CME's traveling at roughly 3-4 million mph toward our planet earlier this week.

Here's how Illinois residents can try to catch a glimpse.

What are the northern lights? Aurora borealis?

The aurora, also called the northern lights, is formed when the solar wind streaming out from the sun and the Earth’s protective magnetic field, or magnetosphere, interact, according to the NOAA. It is one manifestation of geomagnetic activity or geomagnetic storms.

The aurora occurs in both the northern hemisphere, where it's called the aurora borealis, and the southern hemisphere, where it's called the aurora australis.

Can you see the northern lights in Illinois tonight?

Another CME — possibly the strongest one of the year — is headed Wednesday, Nov. 12, to Earth, and should strike the planet at around midday, EST, according to NOAA.

The Space Weather Prediction Center has extended its geomagnetic storm warning until 4 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12, with elevated geomagnetic storm levels possible until Nov. 14.

Whether auroras appear again Wednesday night, Nov. 12, in Illinois remains to be seen, but it's possible.

For now, northern and central Illinois appear to be just inside the southern-most viewing line for auroras appearing Wednesday, Nov. 12, according to NOAA's aurora map.

That said, space weather is fickle. Space forecasters rely on solar observations 93-million miles away to make their predictions, so it doesn't hurt to poke your head outside and look for yourself.

Will skies be clear in Illinois tonight?

Skies will be mostly clear around Chicago Wednesday night, with a low around 35 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Winds are forecast to blow 5-10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph possible, so residents in these areas should definitely wear a coat.

Meanwhile, central Illinois will be partly cloudy with a low around 35 degrees and winds up to 15 mph.

Illinois residents dazzled by sight of northern lights

Here's a little of what people saw across Illinois.

What is a severe geomagnetic storm and how does it cause auroras?

During a solar storm, an explosion of particles, energy, radiation and other matter can be blasted like a shotgun toward Earth by a solar flare. This material, called a coronal mass ejection (CME) can take 3-5 days to reach our planet, according to NASA. When it does, the CME can interfere with Earth's magnetic field, creating what experts call a geomagnetic storm.

These storms, depending on their strength, can interfere with radio waves and cause power outages. But they also produce beautiful auroras as Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere shields us from the worst of the geomagnetic storm.

How to photograph the northern lights with your phone

In 2024, Brent Gordon, chief of space weather services branch for NOAA, told reporters using a smartphone could be the best way to view the northern lights — even better than the human eye.

According to the aurora tracking app hello aurora, here are some tips for getting photos of the northern lights on smartphone:

Tips for how to watch the northern lights and see auroras

Experts say the best auroras are usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. There may be aurora in the evening and morning, but it is usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing, according to NOAA.

Need help finding stars, planets and constellations? Try these free astronomy apps

The following free astronomy apps can help you locate stars, planets, and constellations.

Best places to stargaze in Illinois

The Milky Way can best be viewed somewhere far away from bright city lights. Find a dark, safe spot out in the country where you can see more stars in the sky.

State parks and campgrounds are your best bet for clear stargazing, in locations such as Campsite 26 at Apple River Canyon State Park and the Area 4 Parking Lot at Iroquois County State Wildlife Area. A full list of the best stargazing spots in Illinois can be found on the Department of Natural Resources website.

For those in Chicago, stars will be more visible on the city lakefront, the Palos Preserves in Willow Springs and the 606 Trail at 1801 N. Ridgeway, according to a list compiled by the Adler Planetarium.

This article was updated to include information about the visibility of the northern lights and how to photograph them.

The northern lights around the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area: Westmont

The northern lights in Westmont, Illinois on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area: Algonquin

The northern lights in Algonquin, Illinois on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area

The northern lights around the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area

The northern lights around the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area

The northern lights around the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area: Michigan City

The northern lights in Michigan City, Indiana, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area

The northern lights around the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area: Hoffman Estates

The northern lights in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Chicago area: Oswego

The northern lights in Oswego, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in Illinois: Galesburg

The northern lights in Galesburg, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Elburn

The northern lights in Elburn, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Elburn

The northern lights in Elburn, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Glenview

The northern lights in Glenview, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Wauconda

The northern lights in Wauconda, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Huntley

The northern lights in Huntley, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Blackstone

The northern lights in Blackstone, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Barrington

The northern lights in Barrington, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Troy Grove

The northern lights in Troy Grove, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area

The northern lights in the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Beecher

The northern lights in Beecher, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: LaSalle

The northern lights in LaSalle, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Island Lake

The northern lights in Island Lake, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Morris

The northern lights in Morris, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Geneva

The northern lights in Geneva, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Wetschester

The northern lights in Westchester, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area

The northern lights in the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Crystal Lake

The northern lights in Crystal Lake, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Batavia

The northern lights in Batavia, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Geneva

The northern lights in Geneva, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Geneva

The northern lights in Geneva, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Algonquin

The northern lights in Algonquin, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Carpentersville

The northern lights in Carpentersville, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area

The northern lights in the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area

The northern lights in the Chicago area on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Huntley

The northern lights in Huntley, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Minooka

The northern lights in Minooka, Illinois, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Kathy Osterman Beach

The northern lights at Chicago's Kathy Osterman Beach.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Niles

The northern lights in Niles, Illinois.

Northern Lights in the Chicago area: Garfield Ridge

The northern lights in Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood.

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Round Lake

The northern lights in Round Lake, Illinois

Northern Lights: Aurora

The northern lights in Aurora, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Elizabeth, Illinois

The northern lights in Elizabeth, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Wilmette Beach

The northern lights at Wilmette Beach.

Northern Lights: Evanston

The northern lights in Evanston, Illinois

Northern Lights: Morris

The northern lights in Morris, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Norridge

The northern lights in Norridge, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Joliet

The northern lights in Joliet, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Richmond, Illinois.

The northern lights in Richmond, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Lowell, Indiana

The northern lights in Lowell, Indiana.

Northern lights: Bradley

The northern lights in Bradley, Illinois.

Northern lights: Beverly

The northern lights in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood.

Northern lights: Geneva

The northern lights in Geneva, Illinois.

Northern Lights: Highland Park

The northern lights in Highland Park, Illinois,

Northern Lights: Highland Park

The northern lights in Highland Park, Illinois,

Northern lights: Lakeview

The northern lights in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.

Northern Lights: Indiana Dunes National Park

The northern lights at Indiana Dunes National Park

Northern Lights in Chicago

The northern lights on Chicago's South Side.

Northern Lights: Montrose Beach

The northern lights at Chicago's Montrose Beach.

Northern Lights: Gilberts, Illinois

The northern lights in Gilberts, Illinois

Northern lights in Chicago

The northern lights in downtown Chicago.

Northern lights around Chicago: Montrose Beach

The northern lights at Montrose Beach.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Lombard

The northern lights in Lombard, Illinois.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Villa Park

The northern lights in Villa Park, Illinois.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Glendale Heights

The northern lights in Glendale Heights, Illinois.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Arlington Heights

The northern lights in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Pilsen

The northern lights in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

Northern Lights around Chicago: Montrose Beach

The northern lights at Montrose Beach.

The Northern Lights around Chicago: Mount Prospect

The northern lights in Mount Prospect, Illinois

The Northern Lights around Chicago: in flight

The northern lights in flight above Chicago.

Northern Lights around Chicago

The northern lights around Chicago

ALTON - The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch through Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, indicating heightened geomagnetic activity that may make the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) visible across parts of the United States, including the St. Louis region.

The Northern Lights Phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with molecules in Earth’s atmosphere, producing light displays typically seen closer to the poles.

An Earth-directed coronal mass ejection is currently sparking a moderate geomagnetic storm, which NOAA projects could create auroral activity visible as far south as the St. Louis and Metro East Illinois region.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis noted on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, that clear skies are expected this evening, improving the chances of observation.

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“You are likely to have better luck with a cell phone looking north and well away from the bright lights of the city than with the naked eye,” St. Louis weather forecasters said on Tuesday.

NOAA’s aurora forecast uses the OVATION model, which maps the expected intensity and location of the aurora based on geomagnetic activity between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Central Time. The forecast indicates the aurora appears as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole, turning red when the activity is more intense. While the aurora is typically visible after sunset or before sunrise, daylight hours prevent visibility.

Timing the aurora remains uncertain, as NOAA predicts the geomagnetic storm will peak during daylight hours on Wednesday, potentially limiting visibility in St. Louis. However, auroras can occur hours before the predicted peak. Clear skies and minimal light pollution will be critical for viewing.

Residents interested in observing the Northern Lights are encouraged to find locations away from city lights, look toward the northern horizon after sunset, and use cell phone cameras, which can sometimes detect the aurora more easily than the naked eye.

In addition to the aurora forecast, the St. Louis area will experience warming temperatures over the next several days, with highs rising from the mid-60s on Wednesday to the upper 70s by Saturday and 60s on Sunday. No rain is expected until early next week.