If you are lucky enough to find them, the storm may not last long. Learn the best settings for your camera to capture the Auroras ahead of time. Remember to bring a tripod for nice, stable photos. ![]() Have your camera gear ready if you plan to take photographs. Bring warm clothing as it can get cold in the middle of the night, even in the summer Up North. App can only predict the likelihood of an Aurora Storm, they cannot tell you exactly where and when you will see them. But if you’re hunting the Auroras, you’ll want to be prepared. They just appear and you pull over your car and stare at them in awe, not realizing you were about to stumble upon an experience that is once-in-a-lifetime for many. Get away from light however you can.īe Prepared: Most people accidentally see the lights. Go North, head up above towns and cities. Even small towns like Grand Marais produce enough light pollution that you may not be able to see the lights in town. Get Away From Light Pollution: Go to an area with as little noise pollution as possible. If it’s overcast over the whole region, even if the KP index is high, you won’t have a great view of the lights. It might be cloudy in Grand Marais, but just ten miles up the Gunflint Trail the skies may be clear, for instance. We like to include multiple towns and some inland areas on our weather forecast search for the purpose of seeing the Northern Lights. You will need clear skies to see the Northern Lights. However, you will want to cross-reference your destination with a more specific weather forecast. Watch the Weather Forecast, Find Clear Skies: Aurora apps generally can tell you if there will be enough clear skies to see the lights. KP 7-9 is rare in Northern Minnesota, but if that happens you will likely be able to see the Auroras anywhere you go, with the naked eye, when the index is this high. By KP 5-6 things get a lot clearer and easier to see. However, you may not see the bright, vibrant colors of the lights with the naked eye. Starting at KP 4 you will start to see them more clearly with the naked eye. With KP 3 you may be able to pick up activity on a camera but may not see them with the naked eye. If your Aurora app is saying the KP Index is 0-3, you will have little to no chance to see the lights. Understand the KP Index: The KP index is basically how likely you are to see the lights. Plus, they have a forecast available to help you know what Aurora activity you may see in the week ahead. Read below for more tips and tricks to seeing the Auroras, as well as a list of our favorite viewing areas.Ī Few Tips for Spotting the Northern Lightsĭownload an Aurora App: Apps like Aurora Alerts, My Aurora Forecast (available on Android and iOS), and Aurora Forecast (only available on iOS) are a great way to see what the likelihood is of seeing the Northern Lights at any given time. These areas are not affected by light pollution and are located further north. Luckily, there are a number of places on the North Shore we recommend visiting when the chances of spotting Northern Lights are the greatest. ![]() This can hide your view of the atmosphere lights. Many cities, and even small towns, experience light pollution. To increase your chances of seeing brighter lights, it helps to get out of town. It is also important to know that displays are most vibrant between 11:00 pm and 3:00 am. Doing these things will increase your odds of spotting the gorgeous lights. So, be sure to check the local forecast, as well. Skies will also need to be clear to see the Auroras. This site provides daily Aurora forecast to determine the likelihood of the Northern Lights being visible. If you want to see the auroras, you’ll want to check the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center website. Usually, about 200 miles above the earth. Rare reddish lights appear when the colliding particles are higher. Green lights, for instance, appear when the colliding particles are about 60 miles above the earth. The colors are determined by the height in which the particles collide. However, on rare occasions, viewers will get to see red, yellow, blue, and violet lights. What Are the Northern Lights?Īlso known as Aurora Borealis (meaning “dawn of the north”), these colorful lights form when charged particles from the sun enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide with the earth’s gaseous particles. They most commonly appear between 60-75 degree longitude, making the North Shore a hot spot for seeing a display. One of the Earth’s natural wonders, the Northern Lights, cast radiant, multi-colored lights over the northern landscape.
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