Northern lights a 'big miss,' space forecaster says

FILE - In this March 24, 2012, file photo, northern lights illuminate the northeastern sky early Tuesday morning as viewed from the northern end of the Flathead Valley in Kalispell, Mt. The phenomenon, also called aurora borealis, occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth's atmosphere. Robert Rutledge, of the U.S. government's space weather prediction center said Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, that stargazers in the continental 48 states have very little chance of seeing the northern lights this week despite an initial promising forecast. (Tom Lotshaw/The Daily Inter L…