**Northern Lights Set to Dazzle New England Skies Due to Powerful Solar Flares**

The skies over New England are set to be illuminated by the Northern Lights starting Thursday night, thanks to unusually powerful geomagnetic storms. These captivating displays, traditionally visible in Canada and the northern United States, are expected to extend as far south as Vermont, New Hampshire, and northern Massachusetts.

The vibrant light show, caused by a pair of significant coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from two potent solar flares, is being monitored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). Residents in Greater Boston might even get a rare chance to catch a glimpse of this phenomenon.

Tonight promises optimal conditions for viewing, despite the chill. With partly to mostly clear skies anticipated and evening temperatures in the low 50s, the aurora borealis, with its shimmering waves of color, should be visible across northern New England and into Massachusetts. The best viewing times are expected to be between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday night. To maximize visibility, it’s recommended to get as far from light pollution as possible and look toward the northern horizon.

Interestingly, scientists suggest that even if the lights aren’t visible to the naked eye, cellphones can capture them. Brent Gordon from the SWPC noted that cellphone cameras, being highly sensitive to visible wavelengths, can often capture the Northern Lights even from as far south as Texas.

A second, even stronger solar flare, the most powerful observed since 2017, could enhance the Northern Lights for New Englanders over the next few days. This X9-class solar flare, recorded on Thursday morning, points to the possibility of more vibrant auroras through Sunday, as noted by Dr. Ryan French from the National Solar Observatory.

This increased solar activity is part of the current Solar Cycle, which began in December 2019 and is expected to peak in 2025. The recent X9-class flare exemplifies the scale of these solar events, marking it as one of the largest in recent years and potentially setting the stage for continued auroral displays across New England.