‘Strong’ Northern Lights Alert For Saturday: 25 States May See Aurora

InnovationScience‘Strong’ Northern Lights Alert For Saturday: 25 States May See AuroraByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorJun 11, 2026, 10:17am EDTThe northern lights may be visible overnight from 25 U.S. states on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14, after a coronal mass ejection left the sun Thursday. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesThe northern lights may be visible overnight from up to 25 northern U.S. states on Saturday, June 13, into Sunday, June 14, after a coronal mass ejection was detected leaving the sun on June 11. Here’s how to photograph the northern lights using a phone.A CME is a cloud of charged particles often created by solar flares. Unlike solar flares, which travel at light speed, CMEs move at up to 1,900 miles (3,000 kilometers) per second and take a few days to travel across the solar system. If they are Earth-directed, they can produce geomagnetic storms and auroras. One is expected to glance Earth on June 13-14. The chance of aurora comes as Venus and Jupiter continue a spectacular conjunction in the western sky after sunset. ForbesHow I Photograph The Northern Lights With My Phone — By An ExpertBy Jamie CarterNorthern Lights Forecast: Space Weather ForecastsNOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center has warned that a G1-class geomagnetic storm is possible. “Active to G1 (Minor) storming levels are anticipated on 13 June due to the persistence of the high-speed stream and the arrival of glancing CME influences,” stated the agency in a forecast. MORE FOR YOUThe UK’s Met Office upped the stakes, suggesting that, “The chance of G1/ Minor Storm activity persists into day 3 (13 Jun), with an additional slight chance of isolated G2-G3/Moderate-Strong Storms from any significant glancing CME impact.” Space weather can change rapidly, with forecasts revised frequen...