A solar storm could add excitement to New Year’s Eve, with the northern lights expected to light up the skies across several north U.S. states as celebrations unfold nationwide, just in time for the new year.

The northern lights could be visible Tuesday night and Wednesday night over the Northern Hemisphere due to a geomagnetic storm.

If you're hoping to catch the New Year's Northern Lights, you could just head outdoors on Tuesday night, look up, and hope for the best. Auroras can be seen from over 600 miles away when conditions are right, and it can't hurt to at least check. However if you want to maximise your chances of seeing something spectacular, it may pay to plan ahead.