Wednesday night’s sights of the aurora borealis could be even stronger than Tuesday’s.
SAN ANTONIO — Continuing solar storms and clear skies mean San Antonio-area residents will once again have the chance to catch a resplendent view of the aurora borealis – or northern lights – overhead on Wednesday night.
Charged particles in intense solar flares impacting part of the Earth’s atmosphere are helping to produce the bright hues of red, pink, purple and blue in about two dozen U.S. states this week. The sun is near the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, making the auroras more common and widespread.
Texans sent in plenty of photos from Tuesday night heading into Wednesday morning of the northern lights creating a show overhead.
Northern Lights visible near San Antonio Tuesday night
The good news for Texans: forecasters say Wednesday’s coronal mass ejection could be the strongest of the bunch this week.
Here’s what to know about catching the northern lights tonight, as well as the best ways to capture photos of the phenomenon using your phone. Make sure to send your photos to KENS 5 via the mobile app.
Who in Texas will have the best view?
The further north you are in the continental U.S., the better your chances of catching the aurora—especially in states like the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin. Generally, those in northern, darker areas of the country can expect to be able to see the lights clearly, so long as skies are clear.
That goes for Texas, too, where folks in Dallas and the Panhandle will have the best views on Wednesday night. Here in the Lone Star State – including San Antonio – the aurora will be visible low on the horizon, so make sure you’re looking in all directions to spot them.
Will there be other opportunities to catch the lights?
Yes, the aurora could still be visible other nights this week due to continuing chances for geomagnetic storms that create them. But the likelihood weakens the closer we get to the weekend.
How to get the best photos
Witnessing the northern lights with your own two eyes is one thing, but your smartphone has the capability to get a photo that really pops.
Hello Aurora, a mobile app that forecasts where and when the northern lights will be visible, provides these tips for the clearest pictures:
- Use a tripod to provide stability and prevent blurring. If you don’t have a tripod, rest your phone against a rock or other stable object so it remains still.
- If your phone has it, enable Night Mode for the best setting. If your phone has Manual mode, configure the ISO to the 800 to 1600 range to decrease blurriness; the shutter speed to between five and 15 seconds to capture the northern lights in dark settings; and the focus to infinity or locked onto a distant light source.
- Make sure to turn off your flash; it’ll overpower the natural light of the aurora borealis.
- Set the photo to a timer so that your phone remains as still as possible for the entire photo.
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