Could the Northern Lights be visible in Illinois Wednesday night?

A geomagnetic storm could potentially lead to the Northern Lights being visible over parts of the continental U.S., but does that include Illinois?

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, a category G2 geomagnetic storm is expected to impact Earth this week, and is expected to peak on Thursday morning.

That outlook was released after a coronal mass ejection that occurred on Monday, with those solar particles taking several days to reach Earth’s magnetosphere.

The auroras occur when energized particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere, causing colorful glows that can appear in a variety of shades and hues.

The question is whether or not the show will be visible in Illinois.

According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, the Northern Lights could be visible across the far northern United States, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and other states, but whether Illinois residents will be able to see it remains to be seen.

A G2 geomagnetic storm typically isn’t enough to cause the types of Northern Lights shows the state has seen in recent years, but they could be visible on the northern horizon in the northern reaches of the state, especially away from the bright city lights of Chicago.

The best way to see the Northern Lights is to find a space with a clear view of the northern sky, and to allow your eyes to adjust for at least 15 minutes to the darkness.

Cameras can also pick up the Northern Lights more easily than human eyes can, with their lengthened exposure helping to sharpen those images.

You can stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for the latest forecasts on the Aurora Borealis.