Northern lights may wow Spokanites this weekend

In the coming days, an all-time classic show that has dazzled onlookers for generations may come to Spokane. Vibrant and awesome, the northern lights may be seen in the Lilac City and as far south as Alabama.

Thousands of year ago, humans invented mythical explanations of the gleaming beams in the sky also known as the aurora borealis, but today scientists understand them as a collision of solar flares with the earth’s magnetic field.

And this weekend, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted some of the most robust solar activity in years.

The federal agency issued a warning Thursday for a severe geomagnetic storm. This is the first such issuance since 2005, according to an agency release.

Expected to reach Earth in the early hours Saturday, the Atmospheric Administration recently observed the sun belch at least five solar flares at the planet.

A solar cloud 16 times larger than earth will assault its atmosphere through Sunday, the release read.

To best enjoy the cosmic spectacle, observers should leave town late Friday night and settle in somewhere remote to avoid any light pollution from urban areas. In previous Spokesman-Review reports, the Spokane Astronomical Society said good locations nearby are Cheney, North Spokane, Hauser or Rathdrum.