Like many people, I’ve been itching to scratch “See the Northern Lights” off my bucket list for ages. Back in March, there was an amazing display that could be seen throughout most of Minnesota and I… missed it. I had no idea until the next day, when my social media was filled with gorgeous pictures of the Northern Lights!
I vowed I wouldn’t make the mistake again, and subscribed to the NOAA 3-Day Kp index forecast. I checked it every day along with the weather forecast, and we went out a couple more times. Then, on the night of April 23, we saw success! We enjoyed an absolutely beautiful and active display thanks to a surprise G4 geomagnetic storm. I managed to get some photos too, which you can see throughout this post.
Having gleefully accomplished this bucket list goal (and quite possibly become an obsessed aurora chaser…), I wanted to share some tips on how you can do the same, and why the next few years are an excellent time to book a Northern Lights trip. Read on for more!
What are the Northern Lights?
So what exactly are the Northern Lights? First of all, there are actually both Northern Lights–aurora borealis–and Southern Lights–aurora australis. Because of the way the Earth’s population and land mass is distributed, most people have a better chance of encountering the Northern Lights, but the Southern Lights can definitely be observed from a few common travel destinations too (more on that later).
The auroras are a visual light display caused by solar winds. Coronal holes and coronal mass ejections from the sun disturb charged particles in the magnetosphere, and the resulting ionization and excitation produce light. The most common color seen in Northern Lights is green, which is the color that excited oxygen particles emit at lower altitudes, though at its highest altitudes, oxygen will emit red. Blue and purple are emitted by nitrogen particles, and any other colors (like yellow) are a mix of the others.
Why is now a great time to book a trip to see the Northern Lights?
The sun follows a roughly 11-year “solar cycle” where the amount of energy it emits (via coronal holes and coronal mass ejections) peaks and wanes. We’re currently in Solar Cycle 25, which began during the last solar minimum in December 2019. We’re heading toward the Solar Maximum, which is predicted to take place between November 2024 and March 2026. You can see the aurora in certain parts of the world any time during a solar cycle, but the Solar Maximum means more frequent and more active auroras that may be seen further south as well.
What that means for you? Now’s the perfect time to book a trip in the next few years where we’re heading into the Solar Maximum (or a couple years after it) to increase your odds of seeing a spectacular aurora show. For even better chances? Book a trip around either September/October or March–close to the equinoxes–when solar activity usually spikes. You can read a detailed explanation as to why here, but basically, it has to do with the geometry of the Earth and the magnetism of its poles.
Since my aurora happened on April 23 (right near the equinox), and without even needing to leave Minnesota, I have to agree it’s a great time to book!
Where can I see Aurora Borealis (or Aurora Australis)?
If you live in more northerly latitudes of the United States, Canada, or Europe, you may not even need to book a trip! The most recent geomagnetic storms meant people as far south as Florida or southern Europe were able to get in on some aurora action. Because the Northern Lights oval runs 20-degrees away from the Earth’s geomagnetic pole and not its geographic pole, the Northern Lights are skewed a bit further toward the Americas side of the globe.
The top places to see the Northern Lights frequently are those in the auroral oval, like Northern Canada (Churchill, for example, is a top Northern Lights destination, although I traveled their last year to see their more famous residents–polar bears). Alaska, the southern half of Greenland, Iceland, and the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia are all also top spots for Northern Lights sightings. However, as I mentioned above, more solar activity means the Northern Lights are visible further south than usual, so residents of the United States, Scotland, and southern parts of the Nordic countries are more likely to be able see them.
As for the Southern Lights, their oval doesn’t overlap with nearly as many land masses or populated areas, but if you live near or are planning a trip to New Zealand, Tasmania, Patagonia, or Antarctica, you may be able to see them!
If you want to see the Northern Lights where you live, it may take a few times before you’re successful (it definitely did for me!). It can pay to have a Northern Lights viewing spot ready to go. Look for somewhere either flat or higher in elevation than the surrounding areas, with a clear view to the north. Try to avoid having any major light pollution sources directly north of you (check out this map to find them), so move to the north, east, or west as needed. For the fall aurora season, I also plan to search for a spot along a body of water for even more photo possibilities, but that certainly isn’t necessary!
How can I know when the Northern Lights are happening? How can I best view them?
The best way we have to predict the Northern Lights–though it’s significantly less accurate than the weather, for example–is the Kp index forecast. Kp index (planetary K-index) measures geomagnetic activity and runs on a scale from 0-9. A higher Kp index means more geomagnetic activity, which correlates to more active auroras and auroras that are visible further south. The Northern Lights I was lucky enough to see were during a G4 storm, which correlates to Kp 8 (I believe the prediction was only Kp 4 or 5, so you can see I got very lucky–and that the forecast isn’t 100% accurate).
You can subscribe to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)’s Northern Lights forecast emails here, and check current conditions via the 30-minute forecast here. There are also apps that can help alert you to conditions right for the Northern Lights, like the Aurora Alerts app. There are also “Aurora Chasers” Facebook groups, where members will share photos and current conditions. You can probably find one for your area, or you can join the general Aurora Borealis Chasers group with 25K members.
There are a few other factors to consider before you head out to see the Northern Lights. One of the major ones is cloud coverage. Since the auroras happen above the clouds, an overcast night means you won’t see anything! You don’t need zero clouds (as you can see, there were a few clouds around for some of my photos), but if there are a lot, it’s not worth heading out into the (probably cold) night. The moon cycle can be another factor, as a full moon might make the aurora seem less bright. You also need to make sure the sun is fully set so the sky is dark enough to make out the aurora–this is the main reason they’re easier to see in the winter: longer nights. In any conditions, it’s important to give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness (about a half hour to be fully adjusted) so you can see them clearly.
If you’re planning to look for the Northern Lights in your area, be sure to keep in mind the Kp forecast and cloud cover, as well as the darkest skies (timing and location-wise) you can manage!
How can I photograph the Northern Lights?
I’d often heard that people are a bit disappointed when they see the Northern Lights with their naked eye, and I definitely understand why! The photos you see (including mine) are taken with long exposures in order to record the light and color well in the darkness. However, I was not disappointed, probably because I managed to luck into such an active showing (Kp 8 / G4 storm)! The lights were flickering and dancing for over an hour before the clouds rolled in, and though it was much fainter than in the photos, I could actually make out colors.
In any case, if you’re like me, it might not be enough to see the Northern Lights. You may want to photograph them, too! If you’ve done any astrophotography before, Northern Lights photography may actually seem pretty easy (at least it did to me). The exposures were short enough that I didn’t need to worry about the stars moving on me or anything like that.
You’ll need: a camera, a wide-angle lens with a low f/stop (2.8 is ideal), and a tripod. A remote to help you with the long exposures is also really helpful! Most of my photos were taken with a 17mm f/2.8 lens, ISO set at about 800. I found 10 seconds to be the sweet spot for the shutter speed for most of these photos, but if the aurora is less active you may want a slower shutter speed.
I wanted to mention a brief note on composition as well. The above two images were taken only a few seconds apart. I personally find the second one better, just because the horizon gives more context and an idea of scale for the aurora. It would be even better if there was a clearer subject in the foreground–like the barn I used in other photos, a tree, an old windmill, etc. I’d also like to play with reflections over next time. You can get creative! Just remember that while sky pictures are interesting, the photos become even better with something to anchor them and show the location and scale.
For more beginner tips on photographing the Northern (or Southern) Lights, check out these posts by Capture the Atlas and Full Suitcase!
It may take a little effort, but seeing the incredible natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights is absolutely worth it. I hope this post has given you some helpful tips to see the aurora in your area–or inspired you to book a trip to somewhere that you can! For further reading, check out Wikivoyage’s guide on seeing the Northern Lights.
Happy hunting, and I hope you’re able to cross “see the Northern Lights” off your bucket list before the sun enters its less active phase again in a few years!
What about you? Have you seen either of the auroras, or is seeing them on your bucket list? Are you planning a Northern Lights trip in the next few years to coincide with the Solar Maximum? Share in the comments!