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Best time to see the northern lights
The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight, between 10 PM and 2 AM local time, according to NOAA. The sky must be dark and clear, so the season matters: the months around the spring and autumn equinoxes tend to bring more geomagnetic storms, and Arctic summers are too light.
Best time of night
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center says the best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight, between 10 PM and 2 AM local time. When geomagnetic activity is higher, the active hours stretch further into the evening and the morning. There may be aurora in the evening and morning too, but it is usually less active (NOAA SWPC tips).
The aurora often changes through the night. NOAA describes arcs in the evening that may start to twist and sway near midnight, sometimes filling the whole sky at the peak of an auroral substorm, and more patchy, cloud-like forms that blink on and off in the early morning (NOAA SWPC).
Best time of year
Geomagnetic storms, and so stronger aurora, tend to happen more often near the spring and autumn equinoxes. At the same time, the hours of darkness change fast around then: they shrink quickly after the spring equinox and grow quickly after the autumn equinox (NOAA SWPC).
The high latitudes where aurora is common do not get dark in summer. NOAA notes that a summer trip to the Arctic usually does not work for aurora watching: the aurora may be there, but you cannot see it in the light. Our forecast tells you if it gets dark enough at your place tonight.
Other things that matter
- Darkness: get away from city lights. A full moon makes the aurora look fainter, though it is not actually weaker (NOAA).
- Clouds: the aurora forms 80 to 500 km above the ground, so the sky must be clear (NOAA).
- Location: the best area is under the auroral oval, roughly between 60° and 75° latitude, where aurora can be seen on more than half of all nights in a year (NOAA). See the Kp you need further south.
- View: find a place with an open view to the north (to the south in the southern hemisphere), for example a hilltop.
Aurora guides
Questions and answers
What month is best for the northern lights?
NOAA points to the months around the spring and autumn equinoxes (March and September), when geomagnetic storms are more common. In the far north, any month with real darkness works; summer is too light.
Can you see the northern lights in the evening?
Yes, sometimes, especially when activity is high. NOAA says the most active aurora is usually between 10 PM and 2 AM, and that the active period stretches into the evening when Kp is high.
Does the moon affect the northern lights?
A full moon makes the aurora look fainter because the sky is brighter, but it does not change the aurora itself (NOAA).