Your Complete Guide to
the Northern Lights Aurora

Frequently Asked Questions About the Northern Lights Aurora

What is the difference between northern lights and aurora borealis?

Northern lights and aurora borealis are two names for the same phenomenon. 'Aurora borealis' is the scientific Latin name — 'aurora' from the Roman goddess of dawn, and 'borealis' meaning northern. The term 'northern lights' is the common English name. Both refer to the luminous natural light display that occurs in high-latitude skies when charged solar particles interact with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere.

What causes the northern lights aurora?

The aurora borealis is caused by charged particles — mostly electrons and protons — streaming from the sun as solar wind. When these particles reach Earth, most are deflected by our magnetic field. However, near the polar regions, the magnetic field lines converge and funnel particles into the upper atmosphere. There, they collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms at altitudes of 80–300 km, exciting those atoms into higher energy states. When the atoms return to their ground state, they release energy as visible light — the aurora. The colour depends on the gas and altitude: green from oxygen at ~100 km, red from oxygen at 200+ km, and blue/purple from nitrogen.

Where is the best place to see the northern lights?

The best places to see the northern lights lie within or near the auroral oval — a ring roughly 65–72° latitude around the magnetic north pole. Top destinations include Tromso (Norway), Abisko (Sweden), Rovaniemi (Finland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Yellowknife (Canada), and Fairbanks (Alaska). Within these regions, you need dark skies away from city lights, clear weather, and sufficient geomagnetic activity.

What time do the northern lights appear?

Aurora can occur at any hour of the night, but statistically the most active period is between 10 PM and 2 AM local magnetic time. In practical terms, this typically falls between 9 PM and 1 AM local clock time at most high-latitude destinations. The aurora can also appear earlier in the evening during strong geomagnetic storms. Your best strategy is to stay out for at least 2–3 hours during the peak window rather than checking once and going inside.

What is the KP index and how does it affect aurora visibility?

The KP index is a global scale from 0 to 9 that measures geomagnetic activity. A KP of 0 means very quiet conditions with aurora confined to the highest Arctic latitudes. KP 3–4 means aurora is reliably visible across Scandinavia, Iceland, and northern Canada from dark-sky locations. KP 5+ indicates a geomagnetic storm with aurora potentially visible from Scotland, the northern United States, and central Europe. KP 7+ can push aurora into Germany, France, and the northern contiguous US.

Can I see the northern lights in summer?

No — or extremely rarely. The aurora happens year-round at high latitudes, but during summer months (May–July), the sky never gets dark enough to see it. The midnight sun creates continuous twilight or full daylight at arctic latitudes. Aurora season runs from late August/early September through late March/early April when true darkness returns.

Is there an app for aurora forecasts?

Yes — our Aurora Forecast app provides real-time KP index data, push notifications when aurora activity rises, location-based forecasts, and cloud cover integration. Borealis, our own aurora app, is in development and arrives on the App Store soon. No app can guarantee aurora sightings, but they dramatically improve your chances by alerting you to the right conditions at the right time.