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NASA says the sun is at its 'solar maximum'

The space agency says the sun's current polarity is contributing to increased visibility for the northern lights.

NASA says the sun is at its 'solar maximum': The sun's current polarity is contributing to increased visibility for the northern lights. (Scripps News)

By: Scripps News Staff

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The sun is at a point where its two poles have flipped, and NASA says that means we'll get more light shows here on Earth — including a more visible northern lights.

The sun is at its "solar maximum" period, which is part of an 11-year cycle — night now, the sun's north and south magnetic pole have flipped.

The sun may emit more solar flares or and people might be able to see more auroras in the northern and southern hemispheres. Sky watchers will get to see more of these phenomena in the next year.

There is also an increased likelihood of coronal mass ejections, which could affect satellite operations around the Earth as well. The Space Weather Prediction Center calls CMEs "large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona."