In an effort to better understand "the naturally occurring flows of ionized and neutral particles" in the upper atmosphere, NASA is releasing a series of colorful vapor tracers 130 miles above the Earth.

The tracers will be released by a sounding rocket, set to launch between 7 and 9 p.m. EST from the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Approximately six minutes after launch, four sub-payloads will release a mixture of barium and strontium.

The result will be a colorful combination of blue-green and red clouds. The ejected mixtures are similar to the chemicals used in firework displays. NASA says there won't be any risk to the communities below.

But there will be a brief light show. The bright streaks of color will be visible up and down the eastern seaboard -- as far north as Long Island, New York, as far south as Jacksonville, North Carolina, and as far inland as Charlottesville, Virginia.