Northern Lights may be visible in Michigan tonight

Michigan sky gazers may be able to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights late Monday and early Tuesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center says the colorful sky show created by electrically charged particles entering the Earth's upper atmosphere at high speed should be visible in the state between 11 p.m. Monday and 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The best place for people to see the aurora is somewhere away from city lights, the center says.

Officials at the National Weather Service Office in Marquette said Monday they'll be keeping an eye on conditions and watching for the Northern Lights.

"If the skies can clear out, we will be watching the data and the cameras for some potential aurora spotting tonight and tomorrow night!" they said in a tweet.

Northern Lights occur when a magnetic solar wind slams into the Earth’s magnetic field and causes atoms in the upper atmosphere to glow. The lights appear suddenly and the intensity varies.