Residents across northern Illinois were treated to rare and dazzling sightings of the northern lights over the past couple of days.

The edge of the view line, where the auroras were visible, ran across central Illinois on Tuesday and again Wednesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Aurora Dashboard.

The line previously ran through the southern edge of Lake Michigan and west through northern Illinois earlier in the day Wednesday.

The McHenry County Conservation District opened three sites until 10 p.m. Wednesday to give people another chance to see the auroras. The conservation district said it usually requires a free permit in advance for night sky-viewing opportunities, but it waived the requirement because of the possibility of the northern lights.

[ See more photos of the northern lights over northern Illinois Tuesday ]

Solar storms brought the auroras within view of much of the U.S. Bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections reached earth, according to The Associated Press.

Kevin Birk, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Chicago office, said Wednesday morning that the solar event was expected to peak midday Wednesday.

For those who missed this round of auroras, space weather experts think there’s more to come, The AP reported. The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle, and its active spurt is expected to last at least through the end of the year, according to The AP.

“Consider aurora-watching in a quiet, dark area away from city lights. Experts recommend skygazing from a local or national park. And check the weather forecast because clouds can cover up the spectacle entirely,” The AP reported. “Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren’t visible to the naked eye.”