The Sun released a massive stream of charged particles recently that will cause the aurora borealis to be visible as far south as Pennsylvania and Oregon, as well as potentially knock out electronics in the Northern Hemisphere.
The burst of solar material happened December 7th, and it will impact the planet from December 9th to the 11th, CNN reports.
The Coronal Mass Ejection may cause disruptions in radio service as well as potential problems with GPS systems, although little permanent damage is expected. NOAA’s Geomagnetic Storm Index, which indicates the magnitude of the solar activity, is predicting a Kp Index of 7 (out of 9), indicating the storm will be visible as far south of Chicago and Detroit.