A solar flare just upped the odds for photographing the Northern Lights this weekend – and the Perseids are starting to heat up too

The Northern Lights dance over a lake with a faint orange from the sunset on the horizon.

An active sunspot could give photographers another reason to photograph the night skies this weekend. A solar flare that hit on August 05 increases the odds of seeing the Northern Lights as its effects reach Earth, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicting KP levels above 4.0 could hit on Friday, August 08.

The levels indicate increased probability of spotting the northern lights in states like Michigan and Maine, as well as parts of Canada. While the odds are still fairly low, the prediction comes as the Perseids meteor shower is gaining in intensity – and photographing some meteors could be a consolation prize if the aurora doesn’t make an appearance.