Northern Lights Forecast: When and Where to See the Aurora

How to See the Northern and Southern Lights

The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, primarily visible at high latitude regions. Its counterpart in the southern hemisphere is known as the aurora australis, or southern lights. The aurora is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth's magnetic field, which is strongest at the poles.

Aurora Forecast Dashboard

The University of Alaska Fairbanks's Geophysical Institute operates the Aurora Dashboard, which provides a 30 to 90 minute forecast of the location and intensity of the aurora. This information is based on the OVATION model, which uses data from a network of magnetometers to measure the Earth's magnetic field.

Check the Kp Index

The Kp index is a measure of geomagnetic activity, which is related to the intensity of the aurora. A higher Kp index indicates a greater likelihood of seeing the aurora. The Kp index can be found on the Aurora Dashboard or on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center website.

Where to See the Aurora

The aurora is most commonly seen at high latitude regions, such as Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. However, it can sometimes be seen as far south as Alabama and northern California during severe G4 storms.