Northern Lights return to Michigan this week
(FOX 2) - Michigan's busy year for northern lights continues with another possible chance to see the beautiful blues and greens that come with solar storms on Tuesday night.
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said the latest arrival of the aurora borealis could swing between moderate and strong levels of activity in the atmosphere Tuesday night. There is even a chance for severe-level activity, which indicates the intensity of the solar storm.
The more extreme the solar storm is, the more vibrant and extensive the northern lights can appear. However, more activity also means chances of widespread voltage issues and event problems with spacecraft.
The latest northern lights prediction follows two coronal mass ejections over the weekend, which precede the northern lights activity picking up.
Following an ejection, charged particles are thrown into space. When they reach the Earth, they collide with the atmosphere, creating ribbons of colorful light.
This year is special for the northern lights due to the sun reaching the peak of its 13-year cycle. Earlier this year, the northern lights were visible as far as Alabama and could be seen even in places in Michigan with light pollution.
Northern Lights photos from across Michigan
Photos of the Northern Lights across Michigan.