A G1 geomagnetic storm tonight means aurora may be seen from Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine in the U.S.

A powerful solar storm Oct. 11-12 lit up the skies with breathtaking displays of pink, purple, green and blue, mesmerizing stargazers across the Southwest and around the

"Sunspots are complex magnetic regions of the sun where energy can be stored in huge amounts," astronomer Peter T. Gallagher said.

Some stargazers will have an opportunity to see aurora borealis in the northern U.S. Wednesday night, and it’s likely more chances will come as activity on the sun’s surface peaks, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast.