The chance for seeing the northern lights Friday night in Oregon just got a big boost, says Oregon's resident planetary expert, Jim Todd, director of space science education for OMSI.

The index used to measure the possibility, the so-called KP index, soared to 8 at around 5 p.m.

"OK, auroras for Oregon tonight," Todd texted at 5:15 p.m.

Earlier Friday, the forecast for viewing in Oregon and for others in the mid-latitudes of North America dimmed when the solar storm responsible for the viewing apparently diminished.

But later Friday, the solar storm picked up, Todd said.

"In order for the auroras to be visible, the KP index needs to be 6 or higher for our latitude. This can change by the hour depending on the strength and timing of the solar impact.

Todd said if the KP index (a measure of geomagnetic activity) does reach 6 or higher, the northern lights would be best seen away from city lights.

Not only can the forecast change by the hour, a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera may be able to capture an image of the lights even if the naked eye may not.



While the aurora is often bright red and green in the higher latitudes of Canada and Alaska, the lights will be far more subtle and muted if they reach Oregon, he said.

"We're just right on the line," Todd said. "People could be looking right at the lights and not even know it because it's very faint and ... not all that obvious."



In addition to city lights obscuring the auroras, a waning gibbous moon that rises at 9:39 p.m. Friday will further hamper the view. Skies will be clear.



The best viewing should be after midnight, Todd said. Go to some of the popular star-gazing spots around northwest Oregon and southwest Washington including L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, Vista House at Crown Point in the Columbia River Gorge or the Cascades of southern Oregon. In any case, look for an unobscured view of the northern horizon.





-- Stuart Tomlinson