It’s a brand new year, which means 365 more chances to catch a glimpse of one of the night sky’s most spectacular light shows.
Lucky for some astronomy enthusiasts, the first of those chances may come this weekend.
The northern lights could be visible in more than a dozen states — including Oregon — Friday night as minor to moderate geomagnetic storm conditions persist, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center.
The Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, aurora forecast.Courtesy of NOAA
The aurora viewline just skims the top of Oregon, offering a chance to see the lights along the Oregon-Washington border and, more optimistically, within the northeast corner of the state.
Portlanders, though, probably shouldn’t hold their breath. Forecasts across the area are expectedly rainy and cloudy — not prime aurora-spotting conditions.
People across 18 states could have a shot at catching the lights beginning Friday night, including those in Alaska, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Idaho, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington, Iowa, Oregon, New York, Wyoming, Nebraska and Illinois.
Our solar system is currently in the middle of solar cycle 25, an approximately 11-year cycle of magnetic activity coming from the sun.
If you plan to try and see the lights Friday, stay away from light pollution and look toward the northern horizon. Follow the Space Weather Prediction Center’s 30-minute aurora forecast to see the latest predictions of where the lights will be visible.