The Northland’s northern lights attract aurora chasers from around the world and scientists believe these beautiful painting-like skies are only going to increase through the next few years.

Viv Mueller knows there are few phenomenon’s more spectacular than the northern lights. The Aurora resident spends her time on the road chasing the northern lights and photographing them for all to see. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life!”

Fortunately, for those like Mueller, scientists predict those dancing lights could be more active than usual this year. Alec Habig, an astronomy and physics professor at UMD, credits what’s called a solar cycle for the predicted increased activity.

“The solar cycle is, how twisted up is the sun because after it starts off nice and fresh, looks like a bar magnet. After eleven years of the middle spinning faster than the poles, it really twists up. You get a lot of sunspots.” Solar flares and sunspots release gasses throughout space and some of those gasses head towards Earth.

The magnetic field protects the sun from the gasses, but at the poles where it’s the weakest, the gasses are pulled into the atmosphere creating the northern lights.

The different lights you see in the aurora borealis indicate different gasses reaching the atmosphere levels. It’s believed red is the rarest color. Basically, it boils down to more chances for the northern lights to form. And that’s music to Mueller’s ears and eyes.

“I have a feeling that this summer is going to be spectacular and I’m ecstatic!”

According to scientists, the solar cycle will reach its peak around 2025.  “I have a feeling that this summer is going to be spectacular and I’m ecstatic!”

To watch the original story and see related reporting, follow this link to the KBJR-TV website. https://www.kbjr6.com/2022/04/14/scientists-predict-an-increase-northern-lights-sightings/