Technologies

Aurora Borealis Alert: 21 States Could Marvel at the Dazzling Northern Lights Tonight

A strong G3 magnetic storm is pushing the aurora further south than it’s been since June 2025.

Remember that dazzling night in May 2024, when the aurora borealis lit up states that almost never see its colorful glow? Some of us have been chasing that natural marvel ever since.

Now, the sun is at its solar maximum, and many might get their chance to see the northern lights again. Late Thursday night and early Friday morning, a moderately powerful magnetic storm impacts the Earth’s magnetic field, making the aurora visible in 21 states.

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According to NOAA, the aurora will be visible in Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wisconsin. Those with a high enough vantage point facing north should also be able to see it in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Wyoming and Vermont. Alaskans and Canadians will have the best view.

This is only a prediction. The aurora could be stronger or weaker depending on how things go. If you’re just south of any of these states, it may be worth seeing if the aurora makes it down to you.

This storm is a continuation of one that hit the US on Wednesday night, for which NOAA initially predicted a G2 magnetic storm but ultimately classified it as a stronger G3 storm.

Both storms come from a pair of X-Class coronal mass ejections, or eruptions of solar material and magnetic field that the sun launched toward the Earth on Nov. 4. X-class is the highest designation, so these ejections were pretty big.

Tips for viewing the northern lights

The methods for viewing an aurora are straightforward.

You’ll want to get as far away from the city and suburbs as you can to minimize light pollution. After that, you’ll want to get as high up as possible and then face north.

The northern states in the US will have the best view, but those further south in the prediction zone may still see something if they’re high enough and it’s dark enough outside.

Avoiding light pollution may be tough because the moon is almost full. It may drown out the aurora along the southern reaches of NOAA’s prediction area.

If you do decide to head out, you also have a pretty good chance at spotting a shooting star since there are four meteor showers active right now, including Orionids, Leonids, Northern Taurids and Southern Taurids. Three of the meteor showers are scheduled to peak in November.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.