Unreal sight: Rare Northern Lights paint Southern California skies

LOS ANGELES - The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) have recently been spotted across California, with sightings as far south as Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

If you missed it, you may have one last chance on Thursday, Nov. 13 as the colorful natural phenomenon might be visible again across states in the west, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.

Local perspective:

Residents across California reported seeing the Northern Lights on Tuesday night, an event that included rare sightings far south of the typical viewing area. 

Photos of the aurora borealis were posted by X users from areas including San Diego, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and the Central Valley.

"The lights above California are insane rn," one X user wrote. "It's hard to capture through the window but wow."

"A truly once in a lifetime event, "another X user shared from Riverside County.

Big picture view:

The potential for renewed visibility is due to the Space Weather Prediction Center issuing geomagnetic storm watches in response to coronal mass ejections that have erupted from the sun over the past several days. 

These eruptions of solar material and magnetic fields can set off geomagnetic storms when they arrive earthside, with the storm level on Wednesday noted as potentially "severe."

Auroras are the result of "electrons colliding with the upper reaches of earth’s atmosphere," according to the NOAA.

The northern lights can appear in a variety of colors, including "eerie green" and blue to purple, pink, red or even white. The specific color depends on the type of gas that is hit and its location in the atmosphere.

What's next:

The NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has an aurora dashboard predicting the visibility of Northern Lights across the U.S. 

The forecast suggests that northern states bordering Canada—such as Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Washington state—have the best chances of catching a glimpse.

However, the aurora can be observed from as much as about 627 miles away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right, meaning viewing from California could be possible.

The most active auroras typically occur between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

What you can do:

To increase your odds of seeing the northern lights, the NOAA recommends the following tips:

• Go to a place where you have a view to the north.
• Wait until it’s dark outside and go to a place with as little light pollution as possible.
• For photography, social media users noted the aurora was often "very faint to the naked eye but (the) phone picks it up easily." Tips for taking pictures with a smartphone include:
• Use a tripod to keep your phone steady.
• Enable night mode if your phone has it.
• Switch to manual or pro mode for more control.
• Turn off your flash.
• Use a time or a remote shutter to prevent movement.