An ejection from the sun hit Earth early Sunday morning, creating a light show in the sky sooner than expected.

If the severity holds as predicted, the aurora could be seen as far south as Alabama. But many people may able to see the aurora even farther south using camera lenses, including those on cellphones. Slightly weaker storms that are ranked 3 out of 5 can create auroras that are typically seen only as far south as Illinois and Oregon.

Venus reaches its point of greatest western elongation on June 1, at which time the dazzling 'morning star' will be at its most distant point from the sun in Earth's sky during its pre-dawn apparition.