Northern Light Forecast: Will the Aurora Borealis be visible over DC, MD & VA this weekend?

WASHINGTON - The Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis and annual Perseid Meteor Shower are expected to be wonders in the sky this weekend. 

NOAA extended its moderate G2 geomagnetic storm watch that ran from Friday to Saturday to include Sunday, so there may be a chance to see the Northern Lights alongside the Perseid meteor shower, which is expected to peak between Sunday night and Monday morning.

No equipment is needed, not even a telescope, but a really dark sky is the best way to enjoy them if you are in the right spot. 

Saturday night's forecast is calling for clouds and maybe a late-night passing shower that could inhibit a good, clear view.  Sunday night is partly cloudy and Sunday night into Monday morning — peak time — should improve towards clearer sky conditions.

The annual meteor shower is expected to peak on Sunday night, Aug.11 through the morning of Monday, Aug. 12. NOAA advises to get far away from city lights. You need the darkest sky possible and the best place will be where you can see to the North with an unobstructed view. The best vantage point is a hilltop.

Start watching by 10 p.m. and watch until 2 a.m. as these hours of active aurora expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. The Perseids peak in the early morning hours of Monday, Aug. 12, pre-dawn.  Most meteors will be seen during predawn hours. There may be aurora in the evening and morning but they are usually not as active and therefore, not as visually appealing. 

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Church Creek, Md. is hosting a viewing on Aug. 12 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and several astronomy organizations are hosting viewings and special events as well.  Maryland and Virginia State parks have identified their "Dark Sky Parks" for best viewing. 

 Virginia State Parks has four parks designated as International Dark Sky Parks by the International Dark-Sky Association: Staunton River, James River, Natural Bridge and Sky Meadows. In Maryland, Maryland State Parks include Assateague Island National, Seashore, Greenridge State Forest, Point Lookout, Shenandoah National Park and Wolf Den Run State Park.

Other spots for star-gazing include Grayson Highlands State Park, James River State Park, Meadows of Dan, Natural Bridge State Park, Natural Chimneys Park, and Rappahannock County Park, according to Space Tourism Guide.

Close to the District of Columbia, there will be too much light. Some good choices to consider are Charles and Calvert counties, North or West of Baltimore, Loudoun County or West of Fairfax County, the Chesapeake Bay region, the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, along with the rural areas of Delaware.

Continental U.S. states within the aurora’s view line include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Geographically, the best areas are the U.S.-Canada border, in Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The red line on the map — which dips into Oregon, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine — indicates the southernmost point where the aurora is expected to be visible if looking toward the northern horizon.

You can view the NOAA Aurora Viewline here.

More details can be found here.  

For more stargazing tips, click here.

For those unable to venture outdoors, live streams of the Perseid meteor shower will be available online provided by NASA.