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Solar Flare Could Light Up The New York Night Sky

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Forget fireworks and the bright lights of Times Square. Mother Nature has her own spectacular light show in store for the northern night sky.

Scientists said two minor storms flared on Sunday and are shooting tons of plasma directly at Earth which could create a geomagnetic storm and aurorae.

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Residents of northern regions - from Maine to Michigan and anywhere farther north around the globe - may see unusual northern lights.

Usually only regions closer to the Arctic can see the aurora of rippling reds and greens, but solar storms pull them south.

So New Yorkers should keep their eyes on the sky Wednesday night and look out for the light show -- which apparently also danced across the sky Tuesday night.

"There was a lot of people, they were looking up, it was a big commotion," two girls in Times Square told 1010 WINS reporter John Montone.

Another man tells Montone he missed out on the light show Tuesday night but that he witnessed an aurora a few years ago in Scotland. "It's quite amazing to see," Martin said. "If I knew it was here I would've looked up. I'm trying not to bump into someone here, nevermind looking up above."

The storms are not much of a threat to satellites or power grids. Until recently, the sun was in a phase with few storms.

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