Northern lights could be visible in Michigan on Monday night
(CBS DETROIT) - Some Michiganders might have the chance to see the northern lights on Monday night.
According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the best chance of seeing the northern lights in Michigan will be on Monday, Sept. 18., between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.
In addition, mostly clear skies are expected Monday night.
The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are waves of light that appear throughout the sky.
The spectacular natural phenomenon happens when energized particles from the sun crash into Earth's upper atmosphere at high speeds (up to 45 million mph), and Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles, according to Space.com.
The aurora borealis name comes from Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, who named the light show after Aurora, the Greek god of the north wind, and Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind.
In addition, researchers believe the earliest record of the aurora borealis is from a 30,000-year-old cave painting in France.
To track geomagnetic activity, check out the Space Weather Prediction's three-day forecast and its 30-minute forecast.
In addition, visit here for a list of tips on seeing the northern lights depending on the Kp index.
