When can you see the northern lights? See images of the aurora in Iowa

Iowa was one of about two dozen states that could see the northern lights on Nov. 11 and into the early hours of Nov. 12.

If you missed the dazzling light display, don't worry, you will have another shot. Here's what you need to know.

What caused the northern lights in Iowa?

The northern lights, a natural phenomenon formally known as the aurora borealis, can project colorful lights in the night sky because of an interaction between the sun's plasma and Earth's magnetic field, according to the National Weather Service .

A coronal mass ejection , or large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun, is expected to reach earth around mid-day on Nov. 12, likely causing increased geomagnetic activity, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space