NC skywatchers could get a rare double feature tonight, with shooting stars overhead and a possible aurora before sunrise.
The Draconid meteor shower peaks Thursday evening, while multiple solar eruptions are also heading toward Earth, with the KP index forecast to reach 6 at around 5 am.
The meteor shower could produce around 10 meteors per hour under dark skies. Unlike many showers, the Draconids are best viewed during the evening. The shower comes from debris left behind by Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
On top of the meteor shower, three coronal mass ejections are heading toward Earth, potentially triggering geomagnetic storm activity overnight, according to space.com.
Charlotte sits well south of the most likely aurora zone, so northern lights are far from guaranteed.
However, stronger-than-expected solar activity could push visible auroras farther south into the Carolinas.
Charlotte has seen northern lights during stronger geomagnetic storms before. Cameras can also capture colors too faint for the naked eye.
If you want the best possible shots with the brightest colors, you’ll need a long-exposure camera. Go to a very dark place where you have an unobstructed view toward the northern sky. The best place would be a remote mountain with north-facing views.
You can find the dark spots in your area using the official light pollution map here.
Happy aurora hunting!
