Why Are There So Many Aurora Borealis Displays These Days?

The sun is at the peak of its 11-year cycle. That means an uptick in solar flares will lead to more chances to see the northern lights over the next couple of years.

If you haven't noticed beautiful skies in your own backyard, you've almost surely seen friends sharing their images of them on social media. The northern lights, or aurora borealis, have been a near-weekly occurrence in recent months. Back in May, aurora borealis lit up the skies for nearly a week straight, and in October, another wave hit that was visible to nearly half of the US. It turns out that there is a reason why the northern lights have become so common in 2024, and, according to NASA, the pattern will continue well into 2025 and potentially 2026 as well.