Watch live: Northern lights expected to put on a stellar show

The northern lights are putting on a show this week and will continue to dazzle the sky tonight. 

Northern lights visible in parts of US

Forecasters said the vibrant displays could be visible across much of the northern U.S., and as far south as Alabama to Northern California.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center forecast, the states with the best chances of seeing the northern lights are Alaska, and the northern states — Washington, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. 

NOAA says areas of the northeast, northern Pennsylvania, upstate New York, northern Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire could see the northern lights and in the Midwest, Northern Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio have a chance, as well as northern Nebraska.

Some areas further south: Oregon, Utah, Colorado, and Kansas and parts of Oregon and Illinois.

Best time to see the northern lights tonight

NOAA says the best viewing time is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time, when geomagnetic storm activity is expected to be the strongest. 

Northern lights live webcams 

If you are not in an area of the country where the northern lights will be visible, you can take in the celestial site through several live webcams.

Allsky Aurora Camera at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks

The cameras are located at the Poker Flat Research Range, Toolik Lake Field Station, and Gakona, AK.
View the live camera

Polar Bears International camera — Churchill, Canada

Located at the Churchill Northern Studies Center in Churchill, Manitoba, this live cam is located directly underneath the aurora oval, one of the best places on earth to watch the aurora borealis.
View the live camera

Landhotel, South Iceland
The Landhotel in South Iceland is set in stunning natural landscapes, where the winter sky dazzles with a brilliant display of stars and the captivating dance of the northern lights.
View the live camera

Greenland Airports 
The Greenland Airports has several cameras all offering views of the northern lights.
View the live cameras
 

How to photograph the Northern Lights with your phone

What you can do:

KDFW FOX 4 News compiled these tips for taking photos of the northern lights.

DSLR cameras offer the best control for aurora photography, but your smartphone is perfectly capable of capturing hints of the lights. The key is stability and long exposure.

Best settings for your camera:

Turn Off the Flash: Locate and turn off the lightning bolt symbol on your camera screen.

Use Night Mode: If your phone has a dedicated Night Mode (available on iPhone 11 and later, usually indicated by a moon symbol), use it. Night Mode automatically uses a longer exposure time to gather light.

Ensure Stability: Any movement during a night shot will cause blurriness. Use a tripod, or brace your phone against a sturdy surface.

Use the Timer: To prevent camera shake from tapping the screen, use the timer feature. This gives you time to step away from the phone before the long exposure begins.

Manual Adjustments (for iPhones):

To access manual controls on an iPhone camera, tap the arrow symbol at the top of the screen. A row of controls will appear at the bottom:

Select Exposure: Tap the exposure icon (often the same moon symbol as Night Mode).

Set Max Exposure: A slider will appear. Drag the slider to the "Max" setting. This forces the longest possible exposure time, allowing the most light (and color) to hit the lens.