Northern lights, comet pair up for rare night sky double feature for the Pacific Northwest Thursday

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A rare double feature could light up the night sky over Oregon and Washington Thursday night into Friday morning.

The collision of astronomical events will light up the skies of the Pacific Northwest Thursday evening just after sunset as a rare comet will follow the sunset as the northern lights take on the dark skies over Oregon and Washington. A powerful Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is once again bringing the chance to see the auroras over much of the country Thursday night.

Thursday's comet views

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is expected to make an appearance just after sunset on October 10 and last through October 24. The latest night sky comet has already been spotted over the skies of the Pacific Northwest, but will begin its closest approach to earth starting Thursday, October 10, 2024. That close encounter will likely make the comet visible to the naked eye through the final days of October. Using binoculars or a telescope will provide an even better view. This occurs just after sunset. So, here's your reminder to never look directly at the sun.

Looking along the western horizon, away from any city lights will be your best bet at catching a comet view. This potential remains for the next two weeks.

Aurora borealis outlook Thursday night

Yes, there's another chance to see the northern lights across the country Thursday night. The latest geomagnetic storm is giving earth an equal opportunity to see the northern lights similar to that of the sights seen in May 2024.

The northern lights remain extremely difficult to predict, but looking along the northern horizon after 8:00 p.m. will be your best chance at catching a glimpse. A few more evening clouds could make it trick for some locations to view Thursday night's sights.

The northern light potential is expected to ramp up after sunset and continue through about midnight. If the northern lights are difficult to see, try using the long exposure mode on your camera's phone to capture images of the northern lights. You can then share your photos and videos with the KOIN 6 Weather Team here.