Photos show the lights illuminating the sky in vivid color across the U.S. this week. They'll be visible again in some states on Thursday.

Your smartphone is powerful enough to capture the aurora if you know these key tricks. Here's what you need to know about capturing the northern lights on your phone.

Nature offers many dazzling displays, from jagged flashes of lightning to radiant sunsets. But perhaps one of the most elusive natural phenomena is the shimmering waves of green, pink, and red dancing across the night sky,

The Northern Lights (aurora borealis) were recently visible across California, with rare sightings reported as far south as Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

The northern lights were visible Tuesday night across the Chicago area, illuminating the sky with brightly colorful displays due to severe solar storms.

The stronger the outburst, the greater potential for the northern lights to be seen further south than usual — or further north if you’re in the southern hemisphere. It’s a rare occurrence that depends heavily on the sun’s 11-year activity cycle, which is now in its maximum stage, said Zdanky.

The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are vibrant light displays that occur in the sky, usually near the polar regions.