Northern lights, 4 planets could be visible Christmas night
Dec 24, 2024
Keep looking up! As you wind down your Christmas day, make sure to carve out some time in the evening to head outside after dark and look up. A 1-2 punch of sky potential could delight the region (if we can actually clear that sky out in time).
A G1 geomagnetic storm watch is in effect Wednesday evening. At G1, the northern lights can dance very low on the northern horizon from Rochester, mainly for those with cameras. I'm concerned the cloud cover situation will make visibility of any aurora difficult as the view northward could prove difficult.
While the auroras are well short of a guarantee, the planet show is a gimme. Venus, Saturn, Jupiter & Mars will all be visible to the naked eye in the evening hours all week. Venus and Jupiter, in particular, are some of the brightest objects in the evening sky. Mars & Saturn take more effort but you can still easily find them.
Model guidance continues to suggest at least pockets of clearing into the evening, so hopefully with a little patience, you'll find a view.