The Northern Lights may move farther south into the mainland U.S. this week

The Northern Lights could be visible in the US this week due to a strong storm.

Near the North Pole, near Alaska and Canada, the phenomenon is called the Aurora borealis.

If the weather permits, the lights could be seen in parts of Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon.

What happens during a geomagnetic storm?

The spots on the Sun that appear black are caused by a hole in the corona. The sun's magnetic field is projected into the atmosphere.

The storm will peak Thursday at a G3 level and end Friday at a G5 level.

At least four potentially Earth-directed components have been ejected from the Sun and are expected to have little to no impact.

What is an aurora?

The Earth's magnetic field can be pulled away from us by the Sun's activity.

The force of the recoil on the magnetic field creates ripples about 80,000 miles away. The waves move faster when they are close to Earth.

When electrons hitch a ride on these waves, they reach speeds as high as 45 million miles per hour.

The assistant physics professor at the college leads research on the process of surfing. "If you want to surf, you need to paddle up to the right speed for an ocean wave to pick you up and accelerate you, and we found that electrons were surfing." They would be picked up and accelerated if they were moving with the right speed.

When the electrons reach Earth's thin upper atmosphere, they collide with nitrogen and oxygen molecule, which causes them to be excited. The Aurora is what we see when the excited electrons calm down.

How to view the aurora

You don't have to have special equipment to view the Auroras.

• Pick a spot where there is little light pollution.
• Get to a higher elevation if possible.
• Check the forecast for signs of clouds or precipitation, which could block your view.
• Scan the skies — while northern is in the name, they can appear from all directions.

Joe was a reporter for NPR.