Miss the Northern Lights last week? Photographers could have a second chance as the sun acts up (again)

Last week, an unexpected solar storm brought a Northern Lights show to photographers in northern latitudes. But, if you missed last week’s show, you could have another chance as the sun acts up (again), increasing the possibility of seeing the aurora Nov. 10-12.

A coronal mass ejection is expected to impact Earth between Nov. 10-12, according to forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Met Office. That could bring aurora viewings to northern US states as well as Scotland and Northern England this week if conditions are right.

The NOAA three-day forecasts suggest there’s a possibility of a minor G1 storm on November 10, but activity increases to a larger potential G2 storm on November 11 and 12.

A G1 storm could bring potential Aurora sightings to Northern states like Alaska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine; a G2 storm is a bit stronger and could potentially be viewed even further south, including Montana, Vermont, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, New York, Idaho, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Iowa.

In the UK, the forecast from the Met Office suggests potential sightings on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, predicting a possibility of seeing the lights as far south as Cornwall.

Tonight’s G1 storm prediction for November 10 increases to a G2 storm on Nov. 11-12, which means that while there’s a chance for an aurora tonight, tomorrow brings higher odds.

While solar activity increases the odds of seeing the Northern Lights over the next few days, conditions have to line up just right, and spotting the lights is never a sure thing. First, the solar activity needs to reach Earth during darkness. The shortening days as we come closer to the Winter Solstice help, though the November 10 forecast peaks around 4 PM EST for the US and declines after 7 PM.

The G2 storm predicted for November 11 and into the early hours of November 12 is more likely to hit during darkness. The solar activity is predicted to hit G2 levels at 10 AM EST (3 PM GMT) on November 11, but that G2 forecast continues through darkness for the UK and the Eastern US, dropping to a G1 forecast at 10 PM EST (3 AM GMT Nov. 12).

Darkness isn’t the only condition necessary to see the aurora. The clouds need to clear out in time as well, and the aurora is easiest to spot away from light pollution and with an unobstructed view to the north.

NOAA’s 30-minute aurora forecast tends to be far more accurate than the 3-day predictions, so while the three-day forecast hints photographers may want to get their batteries charged, checking the 30-minute forecast offers a better indication of how accurate those early predictions were before heading out.

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Learn how to photograph the northern lights before the solar storm hits. Or, if the lights don't make an appearance but the skies are clear, you can still photograph the stars. You can also browse more astrophotography opportunities for November 2025.