The northern lights are created by the solar wind, a continuous stream of charged particles released by the sun. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
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The northern lights may be visible overnight from a few northern states along the U.S.-Canadian border on Thursday, June 18, into Friday, June 19, according to a forecast by space weather experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Space weather can change rapidly, with forecasts revised frequently.
After dark on Thursday, Venus will be close to the Beehive Cluster — an open cluster of 100 stars — with binoculars allowing both to be seen in the same field of view.
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This is not a major forecast — but an aurora is possible. NOAA is forecasting KP 4 conditions, which can sometimes bring visible northern lights to the far northern tier of the U.S., especially near the Canadian border in Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and northern Wisconsin, as well as in southern Alaska (which presently has few hours of darkness).
If the skies are clear, aurora watchers should look north, avoid bright lights, and use long-exposure settings on their phones or cameras. Cameras often detect faint aurora before the human eye can see color clearly. Here’s how to photograph the northern lights using a phone.
An easy way to see what may soon become visible in North America is to check aurora webcams around the world as darkness falls.
Aurora watchers at higher latitudes may have a modest chance of seeing activity, particularly during any unsettled or active geomagnetic periods. While no major storm is forecast, even moderate disturbances can enhance visibility under dark, clear skies.
Before heading out, check cloud cover, local viewing conditions and the latest space weather alerts. The strength of any display will depend on how the incoming solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere, including changes in speed and magnetic orientation.
Current guidance suggests quiet to unsettled conditions on 18 June, with activity expected to increase from 19 to 20 June.
NOAA's aurora viewline for Thursday, June 18, through Friday, June 10, 2026.
NOAA
For real-time aurora visibility, check NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast or use apps such as Aurora Now, My Aurora Forecast or Glendale Aurora. These tools provide live alerts, solar wind data and changing space weather conditions.
Aurora activity depends heavily on the interplanetary magnetic field, especially its Bz component, which is available in many aurora apps and on SpaceWeatherLive.com. Bz helps show how easily solar energy can enter Earth’s magnetosphere.
When Bz points north, Earth’s magnetic field tends to block incoming solar energy. When Bz turns south, the magnetic fields can connect, allowing charged particles to flow into the magnetosphere. A sustained southward Bz of −5 nT or lower is often a good sign that aurora activity may soon increase.
The northern lights are created by the solar wind, a continuous stream of charged particles released by the sun. When these particles reach Earth, most are deflected by the planet’s magnetic field.
Some particles, however, travel along magnetic field lines toward the polar regions. There, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms high in the atmosphere. These collisions energize the gases, which then release that energy as glowing, shifting curtains of light known as the aurora.
The June solstice falls on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at exactly 4:24 a.m. EDT, marking the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. It brings the year’s longest day north of the equator and the shortest day south of it.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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