So apparently there was a pretty solid chance to view northern lights across like half the country that Saturday night. NOAA was predicting a minor geomagnetic storm with a Kp index hitting around 4.67, which basically means the lights would actually be bright and worth looking at, not just some faint glow you'd miss if you blinked.

The best states for catching this were obviously Alaska, but if you were in Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota or Minnesota you had a legit shot. Even if you were further south in places like Wyoming, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan, or anywhere up the Northeast through Maine, the aurora's visibility line was supposed to reach you. Pretty wild that you could potentially view northern lights from that far south.

If you were actually trying to make it happen, NOAA recommended heading even further north if possible, getting to the highest point around you, and obviously staying away from city lights. The golden window was between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time - that's when the lights would be most active. Basically an excuse to stay up late and stare at the sky.

For anyone wanting to photograph it, apparently a wide-angle lens and slower shutter speed were key, plus a tripod so you're not just holding your phone like a shaky mess. If you only had your iPhone, night mode was your friend - just remember to turn off the flash and shoot in RAW.

The whole thing was tied to the solar maximum we'd been experiencing, which honestly had been insane for aurora activity. Scientists were saying we'd hit a 500-year peak in aurora frequency, so getting to view northern lights during this period was kind of a once-in-a-lifetime deal if conditions lined up right.