Northern Lights may be visible from 17 states across US this weekend amid huge solar flares

Up to 17 states may get a clear view of the stunning northern lights over the weekend as space weather forecasters predicted G2 or G3 geomagnetic storm conditions .

While the colorful lights will be most visible in Canada and Alaska, residents from New York to Montana will have a chance at catching the phenomenon known as Auroras Borealis, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.

The aurora could be visible in parts of 17 states on Friday, September 13, and Saturday, September 14. The phenomena is caused by energized particles from the sun slamming into Earth's upper atmosphere at speeds of up to 45 million miles per hour.

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The beautiful lights are usually more commonly seen in northern parts of the world like Iceland, Finland or Norway but they could be visible in the Pacific Northwest, upper Midwest and Northeast.

"At this geomagnetic activity level, it might be possible to see the aurora from the northern edge of the United States," SWPC said. Generally, the Northern Lights are best viewed at night or in the early morning. The darker the environment, the better the view. So for the best possible views one should avoid areas with air pollution and seek out a large expanse of open sky instead.

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Back in July, residents of New York were gifted with a rare view of the lights as well as those in Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Solar flares are large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun. They can last anywhere from minutes to hours, and travel at the speed of light. This means that their impact on the sunlit side of Earth's exposed outer atmosphere happens simultaneously with their observation.

These flares typically occur in active regions on the Sun, where there is the presence of strong magnetic fields, usually associated with sunspot groups. As they evolve, they can reach a point of instability and begin releasing energy, including electromagnetic radiation, observed as colorful solar flares.

The states that may be able to see the Northern Lights include:

• Washington

• Oregon

• Idaho

• Montana

• Wyoming

• North Dakota

• South Dakota

• Nebraska

• Minnesota

• Iowa

• Wisconsin

• Illinois

• Michigan

• New York

• Vermont

• New Hampshire

• Maine