Northern U.S. states from New York to Washington and potentially into Iowa could experience a stunning display of the northern lights, as forecasts indicate the possibility of their visibility on Sunday. The alert was issued by the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sunday morning, warning of a moderate geomagnetic storm caused by an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) - a release of plasma and magnetic material from the sun.

CMEs have the potential to impact navigation systems, communication networks, and radio signals on Earth. Additionally, when they generate currents in Earth's magnetic fields, they produce auroras by interacting with oxygen and nitrogen particles at the North and South Poles.

The current CME was triggered by a filament eruption on Friday, and it is expected to impact the Earth late on Sunday. The Space Weather Prediction Center's forecast reveals that Canada and Alaska have the highest likelihood of witnessing the exquisite display of the northern lights, as they are shown blanketed in red on the forecast image. However, the auroras could potentially reach as far south as northern Nebraska and central Iowa, offering residents in several states a chance to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon.

States such as Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northern Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Michigan, parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine might also have an opportunity to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle.

While the forecast for Monday reveals stronger geomagnetic storms, the chances of observing the northern lights become slimmer. Alaska and Canada still have a chance, but states including northern Montana, North Dakota, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula may experience limited visibility.

In another development, the Space Weather Prediction Center announced the presence of a coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) on the sun. Similar to CMEs, CH HSSs can cause geomagnetic storms reaching G1 or G2 levels, which could potentially trigger more northern lights.

The CH HSS is expected to impact Earth between Wednesday and Friday, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. Forecasting the aurora activity for those days will be available by Tuesday.

Furthermore, as the sun enters Solar Cycle 25, an 11-year period during which it flips its magnetic poles, more space weather phenomena like CMEs and CH HSSs are likely to occur. New forecasts project that this solar cycle could be quicker and stronger than previously anticipated, running from January to October of next year. This suggests not only more occurrences of the northern lights but potential impacts on infrastructure as well.

In addition to the celestial beauty brought by the solar cycle, skywatchers can look forward to another spectacular event. NOAA reveals that on April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will occur near cycle maximum, promising an awe-inspiring show for enthusiasts.

The potential visibility of the northern lights and the upcoming solar eclipse provide ample opportunities for individuals to witness extraordinary celestial events in the near future. As scientists continue to observe and forecast space weather phenomena, the wonders of the universe unfold before our eyes, igniting fascination and awe for those lucky enough to behold them.