How to See the Northern Lights (Aurora Basics)

Learning how to see the northern lights is mostly about being in the right place, under a dark sky, when the Sun sends a burst of energy our way. The aurora borealis is a shimmer of green, pink, and violet light that ripples across the night, and catching it is one of the most unforgettable things you can do outdoors. No telescope, no gear, just your own eyes and a little patience.

What causes the aurora?

The northern lights are born on the Sun. Charged particles stream out into space, get funneled by Earth's magnetic field toward the poles, and crash into gases high in our atmosphere. Those collisions make the gases glow, the way a neon sign does. Oxygen tends to glow green and red, while nitrogen adds hints of blue and purple.

Because the magnetic field steers the action toward the poles, the closer you are to the Arctic Circle, the better your odds. From far enough north, faint auroras appear on many clear nights.

How to see the northern lights

You do not need to chase a once-in-a-lifetime storm. With dark skies and the right timing, the aurora rewards anyone willing to step outside and look up. Give your eyes at least twenty minutes to adjust, and remember that a camera often picks up color your eyes can barely sense.

• Get as far north as you can, away from city glow. A truly dark site makes a faint aurora visible. Our guide on how to find a dark sky near you helps.
• Wait for a clear, moonless night, and watch the hours around midnight.
• Look toward the northern horizon first, where activity usually begins.
• Check an aurora or space-weather forecast for a high activity level.
• Dress far warmer than you think you need, and be patient.

When the aurora is strongest

The Sun runs on roughly an eleven-year cycle, and auroras grow more frequent and reach farther south near its peak. During strong storms the lights can dip into mid-latitudes, surprising people who never expected to see them. Winter helps too, simply because the nights are long and dark.

Want to plan your aurora hunt? Open the Starly sky map to check the sky from your exact location, find a dark patch of horizon, and pick the perfect night to look north. While you wait, our guide to stargazing for beginners will help you make the most of the dark.