Aurora & Northern Lights guides
Everything we've learned watching this sky for a living, the science, the timing, and the craft, written plainly, with no filler.
What Is the Kp Index? A Plain-English Guide to Aurora Forecasting
The Kp index explained simply: what it measures, how it predicts the Northern Lights, and why your magnetic latitude matters more than Kp alone.
6 min read →When to goThe Best Time to See the Northern Lights: Season, Month, and Hour
When to see the Aurora Borealis: the best months, the best hours of the night, why the equinoxes win, and how the moon and darkness shape your odds.
7 min read →Read the forecastWill I See the Northern Lights Tonight? How to Read the Forecast
How to know if you will see the Aurora tonight: the five factors that decide it, how to read a forecast, and the mistakes that cost people the night.
6 min read →For the seriousBz Explained: The Aurora Signal Most Forecasts Ignore
Bz is the solar wind's magnetic direction and the earliest real-time Aurora signal. What southward Bz means, why it beats Kp for timing, and how to use it.
5 min read →Read the forecastHow to Read an Aurora Map: The Oval, Kp, and Your Real Odds
Aurora maps show the auroral oval, not a fixed line. How it moves with Kp, why magnetic latitude beats map latitude, and how to read it for your spot.
6 min read →PhotographyHow to Photograph the Northern Lights: Settings and Technique
A practical guide to Aurora photography: camera settings (ISO, aperture, shutter), gear, focus, and composition tips for shooting the Northern Lights.
7 min read →The scienceWhy Is the Aurora Green? A Guide to Aurora Colors
Why the Aurora is usually green, when it turns red or purple, and why your camera captures colors your eyes cannot. Explained simply.
6 min read →The scienceThe NOAA G-Scale Explained: G1 to G5 Geomagnetic Storms
What the NOAA G-scale means, how G1–G5 storms map to Kp, what each level does to satellites and power grids, and what it means for your Aurora odds.
6 min read →BasicsAurora vs. Northern Lights: What's the Difference?
Aurora, Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights: are they the same thing? Where the terms come from, and how the southern lights and Aurora Australis fit in.
5 min read →BasicsAurora Borealis vs. Aurora Australis: Northern Lights vs. Southern Lights
Aurora Borealis vs Aurora Australis: the same physics, opposite hemispheres. What is actually different, and where and when to see each.
7 min read →The scienceThe Equinox Effect: Why Aurora Peaks in March and September
Geomagnetic activity runs 35% higher near the equinoxes. We measured 94 years of the official index: it held in 88. Why the cause is unsettled.
7 min read →The scienceThe Solar Cycle: What 11 Years of Sunspots Means for Aurora Chasers
The 11-year solar cycle explained: sunspots, solar maximum vs minimum, where Solar Cycle 25 stands now, and what it means for your Aurora odds this season.
7 min read →Getting startedYour First Aurora Hunt: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Heading out to see the Aurora for the first time? What to expect, what to wear, how to read the forecast, and the mistakes every beginner makes.
8 min read →Choosing a forecastHow to Choose an Aurora Forecast App
What separates a good Aurora forecast from a bad one: magnetic-latitude calibration, cloud, darkness, moon and Bz, and honest odds over hype.
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