If you’ve been waiting to book a Northern Lights trip, it’s time to make it happen. This autumn is expected to kick off one of the strongest aurora seasons in decades—think last year’s low-latitude displays, and potentially even better.
That’s because the sun has reached its roughly 11-year peak of activity, known as solar maximum. The bright star causes auroras by sending charged particles whizzing through space. When those electrons and ions crash into our atmosphere, they spark kaleidoscopic sky swirls that aurora hunters, like me, travel the world to see.
Solar maximum isn’t the only time to catch the lights, but it does bring above-average aurora intensity and frequency. According to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sun entered this lively period in October 2024; the awe is expected to continue at least into this fall, and likely winter.
The TL;DR? There’s no time like the present to chase those colorful curtains. And I’ve gathered tips and tricks from nearly a dozen of my aurora-chasing peers, including expert guides, space-weather scientists, and astrophotographers, to help you make the most of this once-in-a-decade Northern Lights season.
1. Know What You’re Looking for (Hint: It May Be Less Vivid Than Expected)
Northern Lights photos can be deceiving. Cameras are significantly more sensitive to light and hues than our eyes. The photos you see on Instagram, for example, are more vivid and saturated than what you’ll see in real life.
“In the northern tier of the U.S., the aurora often appears as a translucent white or silver veil to the eye, until the sensitive lens of a camera reveals their full color,” says Melissa Kaelin, author Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-latitudes and co-founder of the annual Aurora Summit. “Watching for the structure, movement, and formations of aurora is just as important as watching for the color, if not more so.”
That said, you can still see color with your eye, especially if you’re witnessing a show in a dark location that’s far from light pollution. I’ve seen reds and greens that twist like corkscrews overhead, but that’s an exception, not the norm.
2. Monitor the Sky with Your Smartphone or Camera
Sure, it’s frustrating that our cameras get a better view of the aurora than we do, but savvy Lights chasers use that to their advantage. “Check to see if the lights are out using your phone or, better yet, a DSLR/mirrorless camera,” says astrophotographer, teacher, and author Mike Shaw. “Take test shots facing north, and if you see green along the horizon, it’s game on.”
A subtle green glow can turn electric in minutes. The lights rapidly shift colors and shapes, and substorms—a stint when the aurora intensifies and expands southward, according to NOAA—can make the lights exceptionally eye-popping. Catching these intense displays is about being in the right place at the right time.
“If you really want to see the aurora, travel to the darkest skies near you and spend at least three to four hours taking in the awe of the night,” says Kaelin. “This will increase your chances of being present for a powerful substorm.”
3. Learn How to Read Space-Weather Forecasts
It’s helpful to download an aurora-prediction app before embarking on a lights chase, but it’s even better if you know how to read and interpret the data yourself—and I’m not just talking about Kp index. Kp, which measures geomagnetic activity on a scale from one to nine, is a tiny piece of the ribbon-hunting puzzle. More important data points include solar wind speed and Bz (the orientation of the magnetic field). I use apps like Space Weather Live to track this.
And I also turn to the experts. Twice per day, the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center provides three-day forecasts, with insights to help amateur Lights chasers better understand what to expect. “For a bit more detail about confidence levels or uncertainty, and a description of what is actually the causal phenomena in the forecast, check out our Forecast Discussion, which is also issued twice daily,” says Shawn Dahl of the NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.
Monitoring real-time updates from other Lights chasers can be especially valuable. Dahl recommends the citizen-science platform Aurorasaurus, which plots sighting reports from around the world. I also use aurora webcams and Facebook groups like Great Lakes Aurora Hunters to keep tabs on what other lower-48 swirl-seekers are seeing.
4. But Don’t Obsess Over Lights Predictions
While apps and data are helpful aurora forecasting tools, the best way to chase the aurora is to actually go outside and look up. “Aurora predictions are useful, but local weather is just as important,” says Adriel Butler, president and founder of Fairbanks-based Borealis Basecamp, an astrotourism getaway with sky-view igloos, stargazing cubes, and northern lights wake-up calls. “A clear night with a low aurora prediction can beat a cloudy night with a high aurora forecast.”
Even with all the best tracking technology in the world, space weather remains largely unpredictable. “A low aurora forecast doesn’t mean a no-show,” Butler says. “Be patient, check often, and don’t give up. A break in the clouds at 3 A.M. could be the best show ever.”
That’s why I always choose dark-sky accommodations during my aurora hunts. It’s easier to pop in and out of the warmth, or peek out of my tent flap, than driving back and forth to a sky-watching lookout.
5. Get Strategic with Your Location
Traveling to northerly latitudes like Iceland or Alaska will increase your sighting odds. These destinations lie within a donut-shaped zone of Lights activity known as the auroral oval, which hovers around 65 to 70 degrees latitude. The shape swells and moves further south during periods of strong geomagnetic activity, like last year’s May and October shows, where the Lights danced across nearly every state.
Low-latitude auroras are a rarity, but some contiguous U.S. locales do see lights quite regularly during solar maximum, including the northern Great Lakes region (I swear by Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) and many northern-border states.
6. Know When to Lights Chase
Certain times of the month are better for chasing than others. “Skip full moon nights,” says Jason Makela, co-founder of Fresh Coast Cabins, a remote getaway on Michigan’s far-north Keweenaw Peninsula. “The bright light can wash out the show. Also, aim for clear, dark skies away from city lights.”
Even strategizing the hour of your aurora hunt can improve your luck. “The best aurora displays often occur between midnight and 3 A.M.,” says Shaw. “Leaving before then robs you of the opportunity to experience these beautiful events.”
Finally, consider traveling around the equinoxes. The fall and spring equinoxes are known to see “an improved chance of geomagnetic disturbances and thus a possible improved chance of aurora development,” says Dahl. Of course, nothing is guaranteed with auroras. But anecdotally, I’ve had a ton of luck with fall-equinox-timed lights pursuits. And according to the Michigan tourism board Pure Michigan, the likelihood of aurora displays around the equinoxes nearly doubles.
7. Embrace the Challenge, and Pursue Non-Aurora Activities, Too
If your sky-watching itinerary focuses solely on the aurora, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. “Head out with the goal of spotting constellations, a satellite, or maybe even a shooting star,” says Makela. “That way, if the auroras do show up, they’ll be the icing on an already sweet evening—and if they don’t, you’ll still head home with a successful night under your belt.”
And remember that the chase is all part of the fun. “Don’t get discouraged,” says Saskatchewan-based astrophotographer Jeanine Holowatuik. “The best part about the aurora is also the worst: It’s unpredictable and cannot be planned for. Even the most seasoned chasers have many failed attempts.”
8. Build in Buffer Days for Weather and Aurora Activity
Weather plays a major role in chasing the Northern Lights. “You could have the strongest aurora forecast, but that will mean nothing if you have clouds that night,” says Indigenous aurora hunter and guide Joe Buffalo Child, founder of Yellowknife-based North Star Adventures.
Building in extra days will increase the chance of strong auroras and minimal cloud cover on the same night. “Stay three or more nights [during your aurora trip],” says Butler. “Giving yourself multiple nights greatly increases your chances of catching a show.”
In fact, the Travel Alaska tourism board says Fairbanks Lights seekers who actively seek the swirls for at least three nights have a 90 percent success rate. This goes for many northerly locales like Yellowknife, although in places notorious for moody weather like Iceland and Greenland, I like to give myself at least one week.
9. Hire a Local Guide
From tracking forecasts to scouting locations, a lot goes into chasing the Northern Lights. That’s why I always tell first-timers to book a guide. “Local guides can help you maximize your limited aurora-chasing time by knowing where the best locations might be, or when to stay up for a late-night show,” says Eleanor Edye, expedition leader for adventure outfitter Natural Habitat Adventures, which hosts sky-watching trips to remote and northerly Churchill, Canada. “Guides can also help you if you’re traveling to an area much colder than your normal, and keep you safe from the elements while you’re focusing on the beauty of the lights.”
And as I learned firsthand last year, it’s especially powerful to book a chase with an Indigenous aurora tracker like Buffalo Child. “This is our land,” he told me of his home in popular aurora getaway, the Northwest Territories. “Through tourism, I show people that we can be ourselves and make a living.”
10. Learn to Use Your Camera Beforehand—and Know When to Put It Down
These days, it’s almost instinctual to respond to a beautiful scene by grabbing our smartphone camera. But taking photos of the aurora on an iPhone, or any kind of smartphone or camera, does require a bit of practice.
“While some viewers like to watch with their eyes only, using a smartphone or DSLR to capture the moment is often a great way to take a trip memory home with you,” says Edye. “Newer smartphones can be very successful with aurora photography, while older models may not be able to capture the Lights or may leave you underwhelmed. DSLRs are a great way to capture the lights, but be aware of the cold and dark—knowing how to adjust your camera settings and change out batteries in the dark will save you a lot of frustration in the moment.”
And while it can be tempting to spend your whole aurora hunt photographing, it’s also important to step back and look up. “Don’t forget to watch the show itself,” says Edye. “Put the camera down and enjoy the moment.”
