Chances of Seeing Northern Lights in Oregon and Most States This Week Slim, Experts Say

Oregonians are unlikely to witness the aurora borealis, or northern lights, this week as the forecast for the celestial display has been scaled back to low activity. The initial predictions of an exceptionally large aurora borealis due to a massive solar storm have been revised, disappointing those who were excited about the rare chance to see the phenomenon in Oregon. However, there is hope for future sightings as solar activity is expected to increase in the coming years. The aurora borealis is caused by particles from the sun colliding with molecules in the Earth's atmosphere, typically visible near the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres.