A severe geomagnetic storm is expected to bring a rare display of the Northern Lights, or Northern Lights, to light up the Iowa sky late Monday night, January 19, into the early morning hours of Tuesday, January 20.
The Space Weather Prediction Center reported that the Northern Lights could be visible as far south as Alabama, putting Iowa directly in the potential viewing area.
When is the best time to see the Northern Lights?
The most suitable time to view the aurora will be between 10:00 p.m. Monday and 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, with peak activity expected around midnight. The most visibility is expected in Iowa, making it the primary location.
How to watch the Northern Lights?
Although the sky should be clear, the temperature is extremely low, making it difficult to observe the celestial event.
Air temperatures across northern Iowa will be in the single digits, with wind chills possibly falling as low as 10 to 30 degrees below zero.
For those who brave the cold, they can observe the Northern Lights with the naked eye. For clearer views, smartphones can help.
What camera setting works best for northern lights photography?
To capture the best aurora photos, use night mode and long exposure settings.
For professional cameras, use manual mode with a wide aperture (f/1.4-f/2.8), high ISO (1600-3200), and shutter speed of 5-20 seconds.
