Published September 9, 2026 03:28AM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The past few years have been blissful for aurora borealis hunters, with colorful lights dancing as far south as Texas and Florida. This magic sparked during the roughly 11-year peak in northern lights activity, known as solar maximum.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, that period is behind us as we move toward the stretch of quieter auroral activity, known as solar minimum, which should hit around 2030. This doesn\u2019t mean the aurora is disappearing; in fact, I witnessed my first lime ribbons during the heart of the last solar minimum. It was December 2019 in southern Iceland, with a display strong enough I could watch with my naked eye. I\u2019ve since chased them over 50 times.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re on the fence about aurora hunting post-solar maximum, here\u2019s why and how to plan a northern lights trip in 2026 and beyond.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen headlines and social media posts urging readers to hurry and see the aurora before it\u2019s gone. I can promise you, the northern lights aren\u2019t disappearing. Where you scout them may need to change.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s always aurora at high latitudes, even during solar minimum,\u201d says Vince Ledvina<\/a>, a professional aurora chaser and doctoral student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. What\u2019s less likely is spotting the ribbons in the lower 48 states. \u201cThe aurora is not going to make its way down to more equatorial regions as often because we won\u2019t have these big geomagnetic storms, especially at solar minimum.\u201d<\/p>\n That means now is the time to plan a trip up north, and not just because it\u2019s where the lights are visible. Ledvina says this declining period of the solar cycle can bring more regular and reliable displays.<\/p>\n A quick space-weather lesson: In the years following solar maximum, we see an increase in the number of coronal holes, which present as dark, cooler regions on the sun\u2019s surface. These holes allow solar wind to flow up more quickly than normal, says Ledvina. Solar wind is an aurora catalyst; it transports the charged particles that eventually collide with our atmosphere to spark northern lights shows. More coronal holes, heightened solar wind\u2014this is all music to any aurora hunter\u2019s ears. The only stipulation? You\u2019ll need to head north, toward the auroral oval, to reap this phase\u2019s rewards.<\/p>\n The northern lights dance in a donut shape above the Earth\u2019s geomagnetic north and south poles. During periods of strong geomagnetic activity, that hub swells toward southern Canada and the lower 48 states. This is how we saw those spectacular light bursts in the southern U.S. in 2024.<\/p>\n Now, there is still a chance for contiguous U.S. visibility. \u201cIf you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin or along the U.S.-Canada border, you have a shot probably once a month for some naked-eye visibility, and it\u2019s probably going to be low on the horizon,\u201d says Ledvina. These are the kinds of displays you\u2019re likelier to see with your phone camera than the naked eye.<\/p>\n Up near the auroral oval, you can often see\u2014truly see<\/i>\u2014the lime ribbons sashaying overhead. For that, think latitudes between around 60 to 75 degrees. This includes:<\/p>\n One of my favorite things about chasing the aurora in the contiguous U.S. is that even warm summer nights get dark enough to spot the lights. Since it\u2019s best to journey north for aurora in the next few years, though, we need to avoid summer\u2019s all-hours midnight sun.<\/p>\n In high latitudes, the skies get dark enough to see the sky scribbles from around mid-August into April. With clear skies, you can typically spot it most nights. Traveling around the equinoxes could improve your chances.<\/p>\n It\u2019s due to the Russell-McPherron effect, which suggests a link between the spring and fall equinoxes and an uptick in geomagnetic activity. Ledvina cautions that this phenomenon isn\u2019t fully understood; traveling during the equinoxes won\u2019t guarantee a good show. In theory, though, it could bring more activity in the sun\u2019s current waning phase, he says. And there\u2019s a bonus: weather.<\/p>\n I typically plan my lights pursuits around the equinoxes because I get more daylight hours for outdoor adventures. As a photographer, autumn is my favorite, with fall foliage shots by day, and timelapses of neon ribbons after dusk.<\/p>\n Of course, cloud cover is always a gamble. I\u2019ve been lucky with clear skies and powerful auroras on late September aurora hunts in Iceland, northern Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Ledvina says March is best for travelers to Fairbanks and the surrounding areas. \u201cWhen you look at the data, it\u2019s the clearest [month].\u201d<\/p>\n You need two things to see the northern lights: at least partially clear skies and some geomagnetic activity. This post-solar-maximum stretch could support the latter. Traveling during the least-cloudy months, which vary by location, is also wise.<\/p>\n Still, weather up north can be finicky. And even when they\u2019re more reliable, northern lights are never guaranteed. Some destinations recommend giving yourself three nights to spot the aurora, but personally, if I\u2019m traveling specifically for the lights, I aim for five or more.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because I don\u2019t just want a glimpse; I want a show<\/i>. \u201cThe more nights the better, and eventually it does switch from seeing the aurora period to seeing a good aurora,\u201d says Ledvina, noting three nights may suffice if you simply want to tick off the experience. Just know these \u201csightings\u201d may be faint, or only visible through your phone\u2019s camera.<\/p>\n If you give yourself five to seven nights, there\u2019s a greater chance for strong geomagnetic activity\u2014the kind with visible lime swirls and eye-popping red bursts that\u2019ll keep you coming back for more, just like they did for me.<\/p>\nDon\u2019t Cancel Your Aurora-Hunting Getaway<\/h2>\n
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Where Is the Auroral Oval?<\/h2>\n
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Does Time of Year Matter for Aurora Hunting?<\/h2>\n
How Long Should You Plan a Post-Solar-Maximum Aurora Hunt?<\/h2>\n