Whilst the biting chill of mid-winter often discourages outdoor excursions, skywatchers have a compelling reason to brave the cold tonight (19-20 January). A spectacular celestial display is poised to unfold across a vast swathe of the United States as a powerful geomagnetic storm targets the Northern Hemisphere.
This evening offers a rare chance to see the elusive aurora borealis, a phenomenon seldom visible this far south. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the auroras could appear 'over much of the northern half of the country and as far south as Alabama to northern California.'
