The bitter cold of winter is finally settling in. If you’re someone who likes a crisp winter night, you might want to bundle up and take in Mother Nature’s free show tonight. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the northern lights will shine bright tonight, and more than half of the United States may see them.  The aurora borealis will light up the sky on January 19, and you could have a front row seat. We have all the details you need to plan your trip to see the northern lights. I've seen some fantastic northern lights photos this evening! If anybody is interested in learning how to take the best aurora photos possible with an iPhone – I've created a short tutorial. (Link below) pic.twitter.com/O97PL3CYYR— Dr. Ryan French (@RyanJFrench) January 20, 2026 The Northern Lights May Be Seen from 24 States According to Space.com, residents of 24 states will have a chance to see the northern lights. If you live in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Michigan, New York, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, or Colorado, take a look up at the sky. The NOAA confirmed severe geomagnetic storm levels that could make the aurora borealis fully or partially visible in dozens of states. The colors vary, but if you get even the smallest glimpse, you’re in for a treat. If you want to view the northern lights, the best place to go is one with little to no light pollution. The further into the country, the better. And don’t worry about having fancy equipment, you can photograph the northern lights with your cellphone. The Aurora Guy has a great tip. “Avoid headlamps, turning on your car headlights, or walking around in your shot as your camera takes pictures. Even if you only turn on a light for a few seconds, this will show up as an annoying flash in your video which is hard to remove,” he explains. “People moving in a shot can be a cool look, but usually I don’t prefer it. Aurora is the focus, here!” This story’s featured image can be found here