Experts Say 2024 Will Bring Best Northern Lights in Two Decades - Here's Where to See Aurora Borealis

Image: Northern Lights in Senja, Norway (Photo Credit: The Nordics)

by Noreen Kompanik
Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Thu January 18, 2024

2024 is on track to bring the best Northern Lights in two decades. That means more opportunities to make your dream of seeing the spectacular Aurora Borealis a reality.

According to a story on National Geographic, “Our sun is reaching the peak of its roughly 11-year cycle when the Northern Lights are most visible. Experts say we may see even more auroras in regions they’re not usually spotted.”

What exactly causes this phenomenon?

From a scientific standpoint, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are formed when electrically charged solar particles collide with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere. These collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with a myriad of magnificent light, often described as swirling, dancing rivers of greenish-blue light. But witnesses also describe colors of pink, yellow, purple, orange and white. Colors are dependent on which chemicals are present and the altitude of the encounter of atoms and particles.?

The Iditarod and Alaska's Northern Lights

When and where can aurora fans see these awe-inspiring natural wonders?

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), their Space Weather Prediction Center predicts that during large events, the aurora can be observed as far south as the US, Europe and Asia.

The site also provides tips on viewing the Aurora Borealis. In an AARP?story, NOAA research scientist Mark Miesch says, “Activity is expected to increase until fall 2024, when the lights will be at their brightest.”

Dr. Liz MacDonald who works at NASA’s Goddard Space Center in Maryland, leads a citizen project called Aurorasauras. Her site offers aurora enthusiasts accurate, real-time alerts of visibility. And NOAA’s Aurora tracker provides 30-to 90-minute tracking forecasts.

Though there’s never a guarantee you’ll see the Northern Lights due to factors such as blanket cloud cover and light pollution, there are places that allow visitors the best chance to witness this spectacular phenomenon of nature, especially Dark Sky locations.

Fairbanks, Alaska

According to Dr. McDonald, “The best place in the U.S. to plan a trip to see the Northern Lights is always Alaska — because they are reliably spectacular that far north — especially Fairbanks. She adds, “The months of March and September also tend to be favorable for the lights because of the way the tilt of the Earth lines up with the Earth’s protective magnetic field.”

Aurora season typically lasts from August 21 to April 21, but who knows what we’ll discover this year!

Minnesota

Several destinations within Northern Minnesota for viewing the Northern Lights include Cook County, Lake of the Woods and the Northwest Angle and waterways of Voyageurs National Park. Mid-and southern parts of the state such as Lake City, Park Rapids, Mankato, St. Cloud, Rochester and Stillwater are also known for their occasional Northern Lights shows. ?

April, August, September and October are the best months to witness the Aurora as other months tend to be cloudier.?

Voyageurs National Park, northern lights, aurora borealis, stargazing, astro-tourism, Explore Minnesota

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

The further north you go, the better your chances of catching some spectacular Aurora Borealis views. Upper Peninsula locations, especially those near Lake Superior offer the best opportunities. Additionally, The Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City is almost a sure bet due to the absence of light pollution and its preserved perpetuity.

Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin offers star-gazers unobstructed views of the night sky, so you can surmise this is a great location for viewing the Northern Lights.

For the Aurora Borealis to be visible, the sun needs to be active, therefore the months of April, October and November are the optimum times to catch the performance.

Northern Maine

Maine has the benefit of having some of the darkest night skies east of the Mississippi. Just like Michigan, north is better, especially Aroostook County, the northernmost country in Maine with some of the darkest skies in the US.

Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument is a certified International Dark Sky Sanctuary and Moosehead Lake is another great spot. along with the incredibly picturesque Acadia National Park.

Northern Lights season here begins around September and lasts until about mid-April in the spring.?

Iceland

The Northern Lights in Iceland can be seen as early as mid-August through mid-April (though October through March is the ideal). Destinations you’re likely to see the aurora in all its glory include J?kulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the Vatnaj?kull National Park), Sn?fellsnes Peninsula, Golden Circle, and Reykjavik and surrounding areas.

Norway

Norway has no shortage of prime vantage points. However, based in the heart of the Aurora Borealis zone in the Norwegian Arctic, Tromso, Norway is regarded as one of the world’s best places to appreciate the Northern Lights.

At the darkest point of the aurora season (which runs from September to March), the sun doesn’t rise in this northern part of the country. With the darkness comes more opportunities to see the aurora.

Northern Canada

Though there are other places you may catch the ideal photo opportunity, Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories is also known as the “Aurora Capital of North America.”

Positioned in the middle of the auroral oval, the Northern Lights put on quite an impressive show, especially from mid-November through early April. Since the lights are visible up to 240 days a year, there’s a chance to view the spectacle at other times. Especially with the exciting 2024 predictions.

Northern Finland

Located just 10 miles from the Russian border in Finnish Lapland, the remote Arctic destination of Nellim is a highly-rated locale for viewing the Northern Lights. Light pollution doesn’t exist. A sleigh ride through the snow to a campsite on Lake Inari is one of the world’s best places to catch the aurora, especially from November to March as there is more darkness than light throughout the day.

Saariselk? is Finland’s northernmost ski resort located approximately 150 miles above the Arctic Circle known for its stunning scenery and those fascinating glass igloos ideal for staying warm while waiting for the dancing display.

Best times to be here? Late August through early April.

Northern Sweden

Visitors to Jukkasj?rvi, Sweden can stay in an ice hotel and plan an excursion to Aurora Sky Station in nearby Abisko.

Located 3,000 feet above sea level, the station has minimal light pollution resulting in absolutely stunning Aurora sightings. From November to March, the station experiences views on 70 percent of the night it is open.

Scotland

Though the aurora has been seen across the U.K. in the autumn and winter months, there’s no place better to witness this spectacle of nature than the northernmost part of Scotland’s Highlands or the Shetland Islands.

Fall and winter are the best seasons to witness these “Mirrie Dancers” as they’re called by the locals. The group of islands located just 10 miles off Scotland’s remote northern coast is one of the best places to see this magical spectacle of light, especially along the coastline of Birsay or the beach at Dingieshowe.

There’s no doubt that if 2024 is the bumper crop year for the Northern Lights experts are calling for, we’ll be adding more destinations to the list. Only time will tell.

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