Entertainment
The Northern Lights will return on New Years Eve. Heres how to view them.
Even if you aren’t planning to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks, it may still be worth looking to the skies this Tuesday. The Northern Lights are predicted to appear again this week, ringing in the new year with a spectacular natural light show over the U.S.-Canadian border. Here’s how to watch the last aurora borealis of 2024.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has advised that the Northern Lights may be visible across many of the northern U.S. states on Dec. 31, with the display potentially persisting through to New Year’s Day. Part of the lower Midwest to Oregon might also be treated the aurora if they’re lucky, though your chances to catch it are better the further north you are.
This natural New Year’s light show is the result of activity on the Sun’s surface this weekend, including two coronal mass ejections which are expected to reach Earth. The SWPC has issued a strong G3 geomagnetic storm watch for Dec. 31, as well as a minor G1 watch for Jan. 1. According to the NOAA Space Weather Scales, a G3 geomagnetic storm may disrupt radio and satellite navigation, as well interfere with power systems.
Fortunately, such disruption is relatively minor and can be mitigated, so there’s no need to be concerned while enjoying the Northern Lights. If you’re lucky, your view might even be enhanced by a New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
How to get the best view of the Northern Lights
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.
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The SWPC advises that the best time to view an aurora borealis is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., when the level of geomagnetic activity increases. This is also when the sky is darkest, offering optimal contrast with the aurora. While the Northern Lights may technically be present while the Sun is up, they’re much harder to see against a bright backdrop.
In the same vein, minimising light pollution will help you see the aurora borealis more clearly. Certified Dark Sky Places close to the U.S.-Canadian border may have some of the best views of the Northern Lights, each location having been assessed and recognised for their minimal light pollution.
What causes the Northern Lights?
Though auroras manifest in Earth’s atmosphere, they actually originate from activity on the Sun’s surface.
When a solar flare or coronal mass ejection occurs on the Sun, plasma and magnetic field from the outermost layer of its atmosphere is expelled into space. This creates a solar wind which may travel to Earth, though it can take some time to get here. Radiation from solar flares can reach our planet in just eight minutes, while winds from coronal mass ejections can take anywhere between 15 hours and several days to arrive.
If they do reach Earth, most of these solar winds are deflected away by the planet’s magnetic field. Not all of it is bounced back into space, though. When a solar wind’s charged ion particles enter Earth’s magnetic field instead, they travel to the planet’s polar regions where said field is weakest.
There they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, creating the chemical reaction which gives us the beautiful lights we know as auroras. Auroras in the Northern Hemisphere are called aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, while those in the Southern Hemisphere are called aurora australis, or the Southern Lights.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
