How to view the aurora borealis in the U.S. tonight (2024)

FAQs

Where in the US will the northern lights be visible? ›

Most of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine are above the viewing line (see map below) and have a varying chance at seeing the lights, along with the northern parts of Washington and Idaho.

What's The Best Way To See The Northern Lights? The lights are typically the most active between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Find a place where you can see to the north ( or south if you are in the southern hemisphere). Given the right vantage point, say for example on top of a hill in the northern hemisphere with an unobstructed view toward the north, a person can see aurora even when it is 1000 km (600 miles) further north.

Glendale app is the world's most accurate aurora app. It needs to use your location to determine which country & timezone you are in, to provide accurate local times and aurora forecasts. Your device will ask for permission to use your location and you must select 'allow always' when asked.

The strongest lights tend to appear between 9pm and 2am, though the best sightings often occur between 11pm and midnight.

The Aurora Borealis was visible as far south as Alabama and even parts of Florida. If you missed seeing the Northern Lights, experts say you may have another chance at some point as the latest solar cycle reaches its maximum.

If you're planning an aurora-viewing trip, the best time is throughout the winter months. Anytime between late September to late March is a good time for northern lights hunting as the long nights provide ample aurora viewing opportunities.

For bright and active aurora, try a shutter speed of 5-10 seconds; for slow-moving aurora, 12-20 seconds; for faint aurora, take the shutter speed to 20-25 seconds.

The aurora borealis is visible from areas around the Arctic such as Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Russia. On rare occasions the aurora borealis can be seen as far south as the Mediterranean and the southern states of the US.

How to see the northern lights with a phone? ›

Visit Iceland (where northern lights are visible more frequently) recommends adjusting your phone's settings to get the best shots. Look for something like “night mode” or another way to lengthen the camera's exposure to help capture more light. Using a tripod can also help keep your hands steady.

The northern lights are definitely visible with the naked eye. I have seen them a few times. I will admit that I saw them in far northern latitudes. The first time I saw them, I was on a cruise ship in Alaska.

AuroraWatch is a website that provides a realtime monitor of geomagnetic activity in the Edmonton area and offers a free email alert service to let you know if there may be aurora visible tonight. AuroraWatch offers two alert levels: Yellow is issued when there is more than a 50% probability of auroral displays.

They don't usually exhibit for long – they may only show for a few minutes, then glide away before returning. A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you're really lucky, it could extend to a couple of hours or longer.

Access the hidden settings menu in the iPhone's camera app by tapping the top arrow. Locate the Night Mode icon and adjust the exposure time slider to the maximum, typically 30 seconds for tripod setups. This extended exposure time allows your iPhone to capture the full brilliance of the northern lights.

Can you see the northern lights in NYC? These lights are usually only seen near the Earth's poles, but during more intense solar storms, they can be seen in the Tri-State area and even further south, like the last geomagnetic storm in NYC.

It's not unheard of to see the northern lights in Arizona.