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Best Time to See the Northern Lights: Hour-by-Hour Guide

Discover the optimal times for aurora viewing—from the best hours of the night to the ideal months and moon phases for maximizing your chances.

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Best Time to See the Northern Lights: Hour-by-Hour Guide

"When should I look for aurora?" is one of the most common questions from beginners. The answer involves multiple timescales: the right hour, the right season, the right moon phase, and the right point in the 11-year solar cycle.

This guide breaks down each factor so you can maximize your chances, whether you're planning a trip months ahead or deciding whether to stay up tonight.

Best Hours: When to Go Outside

The Golden Hours: 10 PM to 2 AM

Aurora activity follows a statistical pattern based on magnetic midnight—when your location is on the night side of Earth facing the magnetotail. For most aurora destinations, this translates to roughly 10 PM to 2 AM local time.

Time Window Activity Level Notes
6-9 PM Low Usually too early; still twilight in many locations
9-10 PM Increasing Activity often starts building
10 PM - 12 AM Peak Statistically highest activity
12 AM - 2 AM Peak Second peak window
2-4 AM Decreasing Activity winding down
4-6 AM Low Dawn approaching; fading conditions

Why 10 PM - 2 AM? This window corresponds to when your location rotates through the zone where solar wind particles funnel down magnetic field lines. It's a geometric consequence of Earth's rotation and magnetic field shape.

Early Evening Opportunities (6-9 PM)

Don't dismiss early evening entirely. During strong storms:

  • Aurora can extend to unusual local times
  • Substorms can trigger at any hour
  • If Bz is strongly negative, activity starts earlier

Practical advantage: Early evening aurora means you can view without staying up until 2 AM—great if you have work the next day.

Late Night to Dawn (2-6 AM)

Activity typically fades after 2 AM, but exceptions exist:

  • Strong storms can produce all-night aurora
  • Late substorms sometimes occur around 3-4 AM
  • The dedicated minority who stay out latest sometimes get empty-sky views just for themselves

The Timing Exception: Geomagnetic Storms

During major storms (Kp 7+), the normal timing patterns break down. Aurora can appear:

  • Much earlier in the evening
  • Continue until astronomical dawn
  • Visible even at lower latitudes where timing usually differs

Storm strategy: If NOAA issues a G3+ geomagnetic storm watch, be ready to view from sunset to sunrise.

Best Months: Seasonal Patterns

Prime Season: September to March

Aurora requires darkness. At polar latitudes, summer brings the Midnight Sun—24-hour daylight that makes aurora invisible even if it's occurring.

Month Darkness Quality Aurora Season Rating
January Excellent darkness ★★★★☆ (cold, cloudy in some regions)
February Excellent darkness ★★★★★ (clearing weather, still dark)
March Good darkness ★★★★★ (equinox effect, improving weather)
April Declining ★★★☆☆ (darkness fading)
May-July Midnight sun ☆☆☆☆☆ (not visible)
August Returning darkness ★★☆☆☆ (late month only)
September Good darkness ★★★★★ (equinox effect, mild weather)
October Excellent darkness ★★★★☆ (increasing clouds)
November Excellent darkness ★★★★☆ (cloudier)
December Maximum darkness ★★★☆☆ (holiday crowds, extreme cold)

Why February-March and September-October Are Best

Two factors combine to make these "shoulder seasons" ideal:

1. The Equinox Effect

Geomagnetic activity statistically increases around the spring and fall equinoxes (March 20, September 22). This "Russell-McPherron effect" occurs because Earth's magnetic field aligns favorably with the solar wind during these periods.

Period Geomagnetic Activity
Equinoxes (Mar/Sep) Statistically higher than average
Solstices (Jun/Dec) Statistically lower than average

2. Weather Patterns

Late winter (Feb-Mar) and early autumn (Sep-Oct) often have better weather than deep winter:

  • February: Winter storms subsiding
  • March: Increasing stability
  • September: Summer warmth lingering
  • October: Before major winter storms

The Temperature Trade-off

Month Typical Temperature (Northern Norway) Comfort
September 5-10°C (40-50°F) Very comfortable
October 0-5°C (32-40°F) Comfortable
November -5 to 0°C (23-32°F) Cool
December-January -10 to -5°C (14-23°F) Cold
February -10 to -5°C (14-23°F) Cold
March -5 to 0°C (23-32°F) Improving

Recommendation: September-October offers the best balance of aurora probability, weather, and comfort. February-March is excellent if you don't mind cold.

Moon Phase: The Forgotten Factor

Many aurora guides overlook moon phase. They shouldn't—moonlight dramatically affects aurora visibility.

How Moonlight Impacts Aurora Viewing

Moon Phase Sky Brightness Aurora Visibility
New Moon Darkest Optimal
Waxing Crescent Very dark Excellent
First Quarter Moderate Good (avoid moon rise)
Waxing Gibbous Bright Reduced
Full Moon Brightest Challenging
Waning Gibbous Bright Reduced
Last Quarter Moderate Good (avoid moon set)
Waning Crescent Very dark Excellent

The Numbers

Full moon is approximately 400,000 times brighter than the brightest stars. This brightness:

  • Washes out faint aurora
  • Reduces color perception
  • Limits visibility to only the strongest displays

Planning Around the Moon

The New Moon Window: Plan trips for the 10-day period centered on the new moon. This gives you 5 days of waxing crescent and 5 days of waning crescent—both excellent for aurora.

Days from New Moon Phase Aurora Viewing
0 New Moon Perfect
1-4 Waxing Crescent Excellent
5-7 First Quarter Good
8-10 Waxing Gibbous Acceptable
11-14 Full Moon Poor
15-17 Waning Gibbous Acceptable
18-21 Last Quarter Good
22-25 Waning Crescent Excellent
26-29 Near New Perfect

When Moon Phase Matters Less

During strong geomagnetic storms (Kp 6+), aurora can overpower moonlight. Some photographers even prefer a quarter moon during these events—the moonlight illuminates foreground landscapes while the aurora dominates the sky.

The Solar Cycle: Long-Term Planning

The sun's 11-year activity cycle significantly affects aurora frequency.

Where We Are Now: Solar Maximum (2024-2026)

Current status: The Sun entered Solar Maximum in late 2024, as announced by NASA and NOAA. We're currently in the prime aurora-viewing period, and this maximum phase typically lasts 1-2 years.

Solar Cycle Phase Duration Aurora Frequency
Solar Minimum 2-3 years Lower; aurora mostly at high latitudes
Rising Phase 2-3 years Increasing; more strong storms
Solar Maximum 2-3 years Highest; frequent storms, low-latitude aurora
Declining Phase 3-4 years Still good; recurrent coronal holes

What Solar Maximum Means for You

  • More Kp 5+ events: Strong storms occur more frequently
  • Lower latitude visibility: People in Scotland, northern US, and similar latitudes have better chances
  • Unpredictable events: CMEs and flares happen more often
  • Don't wait: This window lasts only 2-3 years before declining

Planning for the Declining Phase (2026-2030)

As Solar Maximum wanes:

  • Activity decreases but doesn't disappear
  • Coronal holes become prominent, creating predictable aurora every ~27 days
  • High latitude aurora remains reliable
  • Plan trips around known coronal hole forecasts

Trip Planning: Putting It All Together

The Optimal Trip Window Checklist

For the best aurora trip, aim for:

  • Month: September-October or February-March
  • Moon phase: Within 7 days of new moon
  • Duration: Minimum 3-4 nights (weather buffer)
  • Solar cycle: 2024-2026 (current Solar Maximum)

Sample Trip Planning for 2026

Trip Window Moon Phase Season Rating Overall Score
Jan 14-20 New moon Jan 17 Good ★★★★☆
Feb 12-18 New moon Feb 15 Excellent ★★★★★
Mar 14-20 New moon Mar 17 Excellent ★★★★★
Sep 7-13 New moon Sep 10 Excellent ★★★★★
Oct 6-12 New moon Oct 9 Excellent ★★★★★

How Many Nights Do You Need?

Aurora hunting requires patience. Weather and geomagnetic activity vary nightly.

Trip Length Success Chance Recommendation
1 night Low Not recommended
2 nights Moderate Risky
3-4 nights Good Recommended minimum
5-6 nights Very good Excellent buffer
7+ nights High Best odds

*Success varies significantly by location, weather patterns, and solar activity. At prime locations like Northern Norway or Alaska during peak season with clear skies, the Finnish Meteorological Institute reports aurora visible on approximately 75% of clear nights in the Arctic.

Nightly Strategy: What to Do Each Hour

Before Sunset

  • Check weather forecasts for clear patches
  • Note moonrise/moonset times
  • Review solar wind data (Bz, speed, density)
  • Plan escape routes to clearer skies if needed

8-9 PM

  • Allow eyes to adjust to darkness (30 minutes)
  • Take test photos to check for faint activity
  • Monitor magnetometer for local disturbances

9-11 PM

  • Primary viewing window
  • Check conditions every 15-30 minutes
  • Don't give up if early checks show nothing

11 PM - 1 AM

  • Statistical activity peak
  • Stay alert for substorms
  • If aurora appears, it often intensifies during this window

1-3 AM

  • Second peak window
  • Decision point: stay out or sleep?
  • Strong storms often continue; weak nights fade

3 AM+

  • Only worthwhile during major storms
  • Consider calling it a night if activity has ceased
  • Set an alarm for 3:30 AM if conditions looked promising earlier

Quick Reference: Decision Matrix

Use this when deciding whether to go outside:

Condition Clear Sky Partly Cloudy Overcast
Kp 5+ forecast Go out Go out; find clear patches Stay ready; monitor
Kp 3-4 forecast Go out (high lat) Worth checking Probably not tonight
Kp 1-2 forecast Maybe (65°N+) Unlikely Rest tonight
Bz strongly negative Go out immediately Go out Monitor for clearing

Conclusion

Timing is everything in aurora hunting. The perfect confluence of factors—late evening hours, equinox months, new moon phase, and solar maximum—creates the best opportunities. But even with "average" timing, aurora viewing is often possible if you're patient and persistent.

The most important timing factor: Being outside under clear skies. Every minute spent indoors while aurora is active is a minute of missed potential.

Aurora Go provides timing data including moon phase, darkness hours for your location, and real-time activity indicators—helping you choose the right moment to venture outside.

References

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