Within the auroral zone, it's best to be as far away from city lights as possible to maximize visibility. You can read all about what it's like onboard in our article " What it's like to chase the northern lights along Norway's dramatic coastline". If planning a trip to see the northern lights, we recommend Hurtigruten's Astronomy Voyage which combines northern lights viewing, astronomy lectures and the beautiful Norwegian coastline. That's where the aurora most frequently occurs, though the phenomenon can creep farther south during particularly strong solar storms. The best place to see the northern lights is any destination in the "auroral zone," the area within an approximately 1,550-mile (2,500 kilometers) radius of the North Pole, according to the Tromsø Geophysical Observatory in Norway. Related: Northern lights webcams: Watch the aurora borealis online for free But that doesn't mean they're easy to spot you need to be at the right place at the right time. "The northern lights are happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," said photographer Chad Blakely, owner of the northern lights tour company Lights Over Lapland. Seeing the northern lights with your own eyes is a bucket-list item for astronomy lovers and travelers alike. (Image credit: Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld via Getty Images) When the northern lights put on a strong display even a full moon can't outshine them. Where and when to see the northern lights If you're planning an aurora hunting trip now is the time as "the next 4-5 years will be the most favorable for auroral sightings," Clette continued. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) recently issued a revised prediction that suggests solar maximum may occur between January and October 2024. "Currently for solar cycle 25, by synthesizing all published predictions, the time interval for the cycle maximum ranges from late 2023 to early 2025" Frédéric Clette, solar physicist, World Data Center Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations (SILSO) and Solar Influence Data analysis Center (SIDC) told in an email. Scientists cannot pinpoint exactly when solar maximum will occur but we do know it's on its way. Lucky for aurora hunters, we are currently approaching solar maximum which is predicted to peak between early 2024 to late 2025. This is when the northern lights are at their brightest and most frequent. Sometimes there's a lull, but other times, there are vast storms that bombard Earth with extreme amounts of energy. While solar wind is constant, the sun's emissions go through a roughly 11-year cycle of activity. (Image credit: Eva Stiegler, Hurtigruten) Northern lights during the Hurtigruten Astronomy Voyage in December 2023. Yes! Aurora indicates planets with magnetic fields and atmospheres, which vary a lot compared to Earth. All of this is important for protecting Earth and space-borne technologies from hazards of " space weather" of which aurora is one part. These in turn tell us about the Earth's magnetic field, how it extends into space, and how it changes dynamically. What do auroras tell us about Earth's atmosphere?Īuroras tell us many things about Earth's upper atmosphere, including its density, composition, flow speeds, and the strength of electrical currents flowing in the upper atmosphere. From these motions and shapes, we can learn about the physics happening further out in space along the Earth's magnetic field lines. What causes the movement and shape of auroras?Ĭonstantly changing input from the sun, varying responses from the Earth's upper atmosphere, and the motion of the planet and particles in near-Earth space all conspired to cause different auroral motions and shapes. Elizabeth MacDonald is a space physicist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and one of the founders of the citizen science site Aurorasaurus.
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