You might be able to see the northern lights in Michigan this week

Want to see the aurora borealis work its magic? Here’s how

By Jenna Jones

Jul 10, 2023 at 1:54 pm

Audio By Carbonatix

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The northern lights in the U.P.

We are “look at the sky” kinds of people here at the Metro Times, and it’s about to do something really cool.

For a short window, the northern lights (the aurora borealis, for all you fancy sky people) can be viewed in mid-Michigan on Thursday, July 13, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Specifically, the prediction is set for the Bay City area.

The phenomenon is caused by a geomagnetic storm — the Kp-index, better known as a planetary index, has a scale that goes up to nine. Any occurrence above five is considered a geomagnetic storm, and lucky for us, the scale hits a six on Thursday. This means the aurora moves far from its poles and becomes bright and active.

The Space Weather Prediction Center says the best time to view the aurora is usually between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time. Some hot tips for you if you're already planning to watch:

Get to a higher elevation.

Check the forecast for signs of clouds or rain (if it's rainy, like the forecast for Bay City currently calls for, you won't be able to see the lights.) You need a clear and dark sky to see the lights work their magic.

Pick a spot where there's low light pollution (get away from the city, basically)

The aurora borealis can be viewed from any direction, so look up. The University of Alaska Fairbanks recommends looking to the northern horizon for when activity picks up, however.

Happy sky-watching!