Have you ever seen the Northern Lights dance across the sky? As a Minnesotan, you're in luck. The Aurora Borealis frequently puts on a show right in your own backyard. All you need is a little patience and the right place to view it. Whether you're a lifelong resident or just visiting the North Star State, seeing the Northern Lights in person is a must for your bucket list.
Did you know that over 80% of tourists miss the Northern Lights due to the lack of Aurora knowledge? Don't let that be you! The right time and the right place are the key. Northern Lights Online Course and Aurora mobile app designed for beginners will significantly increase your chances.
Designed For Beginners
Designed For Beginners
The Northern Lights are often visible all year round in the Minnesota night skies, but the best times to spot them are around the equinoxes in March and September. During these months, the increased solar activity boosts your chances of seeing the Aurora Borealis putting on a spectacular show.
Around midnight is typically one of the prime viewing times, but the Northern Lights have been known to appear as early as 9 pm. For the best views, head to a location away from city lights, find a spot with an unobstructed view of the northern horizon and be patient. The lights often start out subtly, gradually intensifying and changing shape, color and brightness over time.
While there’s no way to predict the exact night the lights will be visible, checking the Kp index for the possible appearance of Minnesota Northern Lights in the days leading up to the equinoxes can help determine if conditions are right for potential sightings. A Kp index 4 or higher means the Auroral Oval may dip down into northern Minnesota, increasing your chances of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky.
Check the Northern Lights forecast and predicted Kp index for 3 days and up to 27 days ahead here:Geophysical Institute
All-in-one tool for Aurora hunting. Try the new experience.
With pristine natural scenery and sparsely populated areas, Minnesota’s Arrowhead region offers some of the best opportunities for Northern Lights viewing. Head to scenic state parks like Gooseberry Falls or Split Rock Lighthouse, or venture into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Find an isolated lake or clearing, bundle up, bring a thermos of hot cocoa, and wait for the sky to ignite in a dazzling display of green. Patience and persistence will pay off!
Before going out for your Aurora hunt take Northern Lights Online Course where you will learn all you need to know to successfully hunt for the Northern Lights and significantly increase your chances. This course is designed for beginners so you don't need to worry about not knowing much yet.
The northern reaches of Minnesota offer some of the best opportunities to view the Aurora Borealis in the lower 48 states. Here are three of the top spots to see Minnesota Northern Lights dance across the night sky:
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters is a paddler's paradise with over 1 million acres of forests and lakes. Its remote wilderness locations away from city lights provide pitch black skies perfect for Aurora viewing. Many campsites within the BWCAW offer panoramic views of the night sky, especially those on lakes like Knife, Basswood and Crooked.
Voyageurs National Park
Like the BWCAW, Voyageurs National Park is a wild place with minimal light pollution, making it an Aurora chaser's dream destination. For the best views, head to the northern parts of the park, especially near Lake Kabetogama and Ash River. The park has many campsites and hiking trails to escape the crowds.
Ely
The small town of Ely in Minnesota's Arrowhead region is considered by many to be the "Aurora Capital of the U.S." Surrounded by the Superior National Forest, Ely offers pitch black skies and many scenic spots like Bear Head Lake State Park to view the Lights. For convenience, Ely has motels, lodges and resorts within a short drive of prime Aurora viewing locations.
Whether you want to paddle into the deepest wilderness or stay in comfort near town, northern Minnesota offers many fantastic options to experience the magical glow of the Aurora Borealis. With the right timing and location, you'll be dazzled by the Northern Lights dancing across the night sky.
All-in-one tool for Aurora hunting. Try the new experience.
Northern Lights: Minnesota’s Quick Tips to capture Aurora on camera and fully enjoy the experience of viewing those shimmering lights, here are some helpful points:
Get away from light pollution. Head to secluded areas in state parks or national forests like Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Voyageurs National Park or Superior National Forest. The darker the sky, the more visible the lights will be.
Check the Kp index and solar wind forecasts. Monitor sites like SpaceWeather.com to see the likelihood of Northern Lights activity. A Kp index of 4 or higher means you have a good chance of spotting Minnesota Northern Lights
Use a DSLR camera. A digital single-lens reflex camera allows you to manually adjust settings to get the best shots. Use a wide-angle lens, set a long exposure time of 10 to 30 seconds, and increase the ISO to at least 800. Use a tripod to keep the camera still.
Stay out late. The later it gets, the darker the sky becomes and the more likely you'll spot the Northern Lights. They tend to be most active and visible between 10 pm and 3 am.
Dress warmly. When standing outside at night waiting and watching for the lights, you'll get cold quickly. Wear insulated layers, gloves, hat, scarf and heavy socks. Hand and toe warmers also help.
Bring extras. Pack snacks, thermos with hot drink, folding chairs, blankets, flashlights with red light, extra camera batteries and memory cards. Be prepared for a long night out.
Look north. The Northern Lights tend to appear in the northern part of the sky, so scan the horizon north of where you are. Sometimes they start as a pale glow before brightening and moving.
Enjoy the moment. Seeing the Northern Lights is a magical experience. Take time to appreciate the beauty of the colorful lights as they dance and move across the sky.
The most useful Northern Lights online tools for a successful Aurora hunt. Are you about to hunt the Northern Lights on your own? Then you will find these resources helpful. If you are trying to see Aurora for the first time we recommend signing up for the Northern Lights Online Course where is explained step-by-step all you need to know to see the Northern Lights in an easy way.
Northern Lights essential online tools designed for beginners to help you see Aurora like the handy Aurora Mobile App and Northern Lights Online Course will help you to understand how Aurora works and to monitor real-time activity.
The Northern Lights Forecast for 3 days and long-term Aurora forecast for up to 27 days ahead can be found here: Geophysical Institute Forecast, NOAA Aurora Forecast, Spaceweatherlive Forecast or in the Northern Lights App.
Find the best Aurora spots with the light pollution map and cloud cover prediction.
Northern Lights activity in real-time: Real-time Aurora activity (worldwide magnetometers), Solar Wind activity, Sun's activity, Aurora live Boreal webcams list or Aurora App.
Additional resources to know when it will be dark enough Darkness graph & Map and how much the moon will illuminate the sky Moon Phase + Moonrise & Moonset.
If you decide to go with professional Aurora hunters here you can find the top-rated Aurora Tours.
So now you've got all the info you need to chase those magical Northern Lights in Minnesota. Bundle up, grab your camera, find a dark secluded spot away from city lights and start watching the night sky. Don't forget to check the Kp index and weather forecasts to pick a night with the best visibility. Even if the lights don't appear right away, give your eyes at least 20 minutes to adjust to the darkness - the longer you stare into the inky blackness, the more your eyes will open to the wonders around you. And when those colorful ribbons start dancing across the sky, you'll understand why the Aurora Borealis has captivated humans for centuries. Enjoy the show! The dazzling display of lights is a reminder of how small we are in this vast universe.
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