Updated Nov 13, 2025 - Science

Photos: Northern Lights glow across skies in the U.S. and across the world

Julianna Bragg

Greens, reds and pinks of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, glows in the sky over St Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast of England. — The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, glows in the sky over St. Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the North East coast of England, reaching a G4 level geomagnetic storm, putting on an amazing display early on Nov. 12. Photo: Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images

The Northern Lights have been illuminating skies across the U.S. this week, and some lucky spectators may get another chance to see the aurora borealis into Thursday.

The big picture: Intense G4 geomagnetic conditions, the second-highest on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's five-step scale, produced magnetic conditions that were "eight times stronger than what's normal" on Tuesday night, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center forecaster Shawn Dahl said in a video on X.

Pink, green and yellow auroras over the sea and hills to the right in Daqing, in the Heilongjiang province of China. — Auroras over Daqing, in the Heilongjiang province of China on Nov. 13. "Strong solar wind speed and periods of favorable magnetic field orientation are driving up geomagnetic storms to G1-G3; with G4 still possible tonight," per a post to X by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Pink, green and yellow auroras glow over Bad Zwischenahn, in the low-lying Ammerland district of Lower Saxony, Germany. — The Northern Lights over Bad Zwischenahn, in the low-lying Ammerland district of Lower Saxony, Germany. Coronal mass ejections (CME) have erupted from the Sun, sending charged particles hurtling towards Earth, leading to the auroras. Photo: Markus Hibbeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

Reds and greens from the aurora borealis glow n rural Monroe County, North Carolina, over a road with power poles running along the left side and trees to the right. — The aurora borealis glows over Bloomington, Indiana, as a strong geomagnetic storm from recent solar activity pushes the Northern Lights unusually far south on Nov. 12. Displays have since the previous evening been reported across the U.S., including in Texas, Alabama, Georgia and north Florida. Photo: Jeremy Hogan/Getty Images

Pinks and greens of the Aurora Borealis light up the night sky over Monroe, Wisconsin, on Nov. 11, 2025, during one of the strongest solar storms in decades. — The aurora borealis over Monroe, Wisconsin, on Nov. 11 during one of the strongest solar storms in decades. Photo: Ross Harried/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Aurora in shades of red over Petamula, California on Nov. 11. P — The aurora borealis in shades of red over Petamula, California, on Nov. 11. Photo: Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

Aurora borealis in shades of pink, orange, green and blue behind two tractors in a field — The scene in Monroe, Wisconsin, on Nov. 11. Photo: Ross Harried/NurPhoto/Getty Images

A field illuminated by the Northern Lights with deep shades of red — A rural area of Bloomington, Indiana, saw deep shades of red heading into Wednesday. Photo: Jeremy Hogan/Getty Images

A glimpse of the Northern Lights on Nov. 12. — Spectators in Morris County, New Jersey, caught a glimpse of the lights on Nov. 12. Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu/Getty Images

Flashback: In photos: Northern Lights dazzle skies

Editor's note: This article has been updated with more photos and further context.

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Photos: Northern Lights glow across skies in the U.S. and across the world

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