Why the Northern Lights Will Keep Shining

Ever noticed how the northern lights have been popping up more often lately? It turns out there's a reason behind this! NASA has some exciting news: the sun is at its peak activity, known as the solar maximum. This means we can expect more beautiful auroras for the next couple of years. The sun goes through an 11-year cycle, and right now, it's at its most active phase. During this time, the sun produces more sunspots and large bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections. When these reach Earth, they interact with our magnetic field and create the stunning northern lights. While the aurora is always present near the North Pole, bigger solar events can push it farther south, making it visible to more people. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predict that this solar maximum will last longer than usual, giving us more chances to see the lights dance across the sky. Scientists believe this cycle, called Solar Cycle 25, will be relatively small but longer than the previous one. This means we can look forward to more auroras for at least another year or so. So, keep your cameras ready – the northern lights might be coming to a sky near you!