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Solar storms can cause weak auroras overnight in parts of the Northern Hemisphere
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Solar storms can cause weak auroras overnight in parts of the Northern Hemisphere

NEW YORK (AP) — Solar storms can make you weak, but visible northern lights in the Northern Hemisphere, beginning late Thursday and lasting until early Friday morning.

However, according to experts, there are no plans to cause major disruptions to the power and communications networks.

People in Canada and northern U.S. states such as Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota and Minnesota may be able to see faint, colorful apparitions, according to the current Space weather Forecast.

As the moderate solar storms intensify toward the evening, even people in the south, such as Illinois and New York, may be able to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.

For this to happen, “all the stars have to align,” said Erica Grow Cei, spokeswoman for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

To watch the spectacle, wait until the sky gets dark. Then go outside, ideally away from bright city lights. A photo taken with a smartphone camera can also reveal evidence of the aurora that is not visible to the naked eye.

The sun’s magnetic field is at the peak of its 11-year cycle, making storms and auroras more frequent. Unusually strong solar storms in May produced brilliant auroras across the Northern Hemisphere.

Tonight’s storms are expected to be less severe but could cause brief disruptions to precision GPS devices that farmers use to harvest their crops, Grow Cei said.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. All content is the responsibility of the AP.

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