Tonight will be one of those rare occasions to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis over the Hudson Valley.

Over the past week the aurora has been putting on a spectacular show over Canada, Seattle and other northern states. The strong magnetic activity is expected to get even more powerful tonight, bringing the lights down into the Hudson Valley area.

According to auroraforecast.com, tonight's magnetic activity level is predicted to be a 7 out of 10. The number, represented by the KP index, indicates where the Northern Lights will most likely be visible. At a KP level of 6, the entire Hudson Valley area has a pretty good chance of seeing activity after dark. Tonight's KP index of 7 gives us an even better opportunity to see the Aurora Borealis directly overhead.

The National Weather Forecast is predicting mostly clear skies, which will make for prime viewing of the Northern Lights. However, for some residents living in highly populated areas it might not be as easy as walking outside and looking at the sky to see the Aurora. You will need to be in a very dark location away from city lights and obstructions on the horizon. Experts suggest that those who want to photograph the lights may get better results by using a camera mounted on a tripod and set for a very long exposure.

The last time the Northern Lights were predicted to be visible in the Hudson Valley was back in November, but unexpected clouds rolled in over much of the area after dark, making it difficult to see. Hopefully tonight's clear skies will bring us more luck.

Of course, we'd love to see your photos of the Aurora Borealis over the Hudson Valley. Be sure to share them on our Facebook page or Twitter.

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