Some parts of southern Arizona will be able to see the northern lights tonight, according to the chief scientist at the University of Arizona's Space Institute.
KGUN9 has received numerous photos of the northern lights from viewers across the region, including images from Tanque Verde, Safford, and Mount Lemmon.
"The Northern Lights are a consequence of the fact that just like Earth, our sun has a magnetic field," said Walter Harris, chief scientist at the University of Arizona Space Institute.
Harris explained that the sun's magnetic field becomes twisted over time in roughly 11-year cycles.
"When that happens you get phenomena like sunspots and solar flares and mass ejections," Harris said.
These phenomena produce plasma that hits Earth's magnetic field, he said.
"Some of the charged particles in that solar wind penetrate down into our upper atmosphere, mostly at the poles, and they cause the atmosphere to glow," Harris said.
For the best viewing experience, Harris recommends heading north and away from city lights.
"The farther north you go, the better chance you have," Harris said.
Anyone near the city or lights probably won't be able to see them, he said.
"Go to a dark area. You may be able to detect here, a predominantly red glow," Harris said.
Tucson's dark sky ordinance helps with visibility, according to Harris.
"Which is fortunate for people who are trying to observe something like the aurora because we don't have as many street lights," Harris said.
The optimal viewing time is between 10 p.m. and midnight, Harris said.
For those with cameras that have long exposure capabilities, the northern lights will be even more visible.
However, Harris noted that an iPhone works well for capturing the phenomenon.
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
