Northern Lights in May

May is the month when aurora season concludes across prime northern hemisphere viewing latitudes. The process is gradual — the season does not end on a specific date — but the progression through May makes aurora viewing increasingly futile and finally impossible at Arctic latitudes.

At Tromsø (69.6°N), May 1 brings approximately 5–6 hours between sunset and sunrise, centred around 1–2 AM. This window is theoretically usable for aurora viewing, but with sky glow from the approaching midnight sun contaminating both the evening and early morning ends of the window, effective darkness is limited to perhaps 3–4 hours. A significant KP 4+ event in the first week of May could still produce a display visible from Tromsø — but the conditions require both a strong geomagnetic event and a clear night to come together in a narrow window. Probability is low.

By May 15 at 69°N, the sun dips only 5–6° below the horizon at its lowest point — bright nautical twilight that prevents any aurora observation. By May 18, the midnight sun period begins at Tromsø, with the sun remaining above the horizon for the next 69 days. From this point, aurora viewing is impossible at this latitude until late July, and meaningful observations do not resume until late August.

At lower latitudes, the season runs slightly longer. At 60–65°N (southern Finland, Oslo, Edinburgh), meaningful darkness persists through the first two weeks of May, and a strong geomagnetic storm in early May can produce visible aurora. Edinburgh (55.9°N) has astronomical darkness until late May in normal years. But these lower-latitude observations require major geomagnetic activity (KP 5+) and are the exception rather than a planning basis for dedicated aurora trips.

While high-latitude destinations like Tromsø and Abisko close their aurora season in early May, the picture at mid-latitudes is more nuanced. At 55–60°N, darkness persists longer into May, and during the current solar maximum (Solar Cycle 25), the frequency of major geomagnetic storms capable of pushing aurora to these latitudes remains elevated.

Scotland (57–59°N) has astronomical darkness through approximately May 20 in a normal year. During a KP 5–6 event in early-to-mid May, aurora is possible from Scottish highland locations — Orkney and Shetland see it more reliably due to northerly latitude, while mainland Scotland requires the right combination of activity and clear skies. The May 2024 superstorm (KP 9) produced documented aurora from England, France, and Germany in early May, demonstrating that extreme events in May at solar maximum can deliver remarkable low-latitude aurora.

The practical advice for May: if you are at a mid-latitude destination (55–60°N) in May, keep aurora alert notifications active. Major geomagnetic storms capable of reaching your latitude remain possible through May and even into June (though June at 55°N rarely has sufficient darkness). Set up aurora alerts and be ready to respond to significant KP spikes. Do not plan a dedicated aurora trip to northern latitudes in May — but do not assume aurora is entirely over if you happen to be in Scotland or Scandinavia in the first half of the month.

The southern hemisphere offers an alternative for May aurora seekers: New Zealand and Tasmania at 40–43°S latitude. With May being autumn in the southern hemisphere, darkness is returning, and the aurora australis (southern lights) reaches comparable latitudes to what aurora borealis reaches at 55–60°N in the north. During the current solar maximum, aurora australis has been photographed from southern Australia, New Zealand's South Island, and even from southern South America during major events.

If you have missed the winter and spring aurora season and are now looking at May, the productive use of this month is forward planning for the autumn window that opens in late August and peaks in September–October. The autumn equinox aurora season is only 3–4 months away, and popular aurora destinations — glass igloo resorts, guided tour packages, and prime accommodation — begin selling out for autumn as early as June and July for September and October dates.

The specific planning tasks worth completing in May: book accommodation at your target destination for a September or October trip, check guided tour availability and book if you want a structured experience, and set up aurora alert notifications so you are immediately aware when the autumn season begins producing displays in late August.

September is particularly worth targeting for the autumn opening. The autumn equinox (September 22–23) produces the same Russell-McPherron geomagnetic boost as the March spring equinox. September aurora trips deliver the equinox peak combined with spectacular autumn foliage — birch forests turning gold and crimson under green aurora curtains — creating an experience unique to September that no other month can replicate. Many experienced aurora travellers deliberately choose September over winter months for this reason. See the September aurora guide and October guide for detailed planning.

If you want to understand which solar activity conditions to watch for as the autumn season approaches, check current solar activity at aurora activity and review the solar cycle guide for context on where we are in Cycle 25 and what activity level to expect through the 2025–2026 season.

May marks the transition from aurora season to midnight sun season at high latitudes — and the midnight sun, while eliminating aurora viewing, is a remarkable natural phenomenon in its own right. Understanding the approaching midnight sun season helps frame the May transition and sets expectations for summer visits.

The midnight sun begins at different latitudes on different dates. At the Arctic Circle (66.5°N), the midnight sun occurs for a single day at the summer solstice (June 21). At Tromsø (69.6°N), it runs from May 18 to July 26 — approximately 10 weeks. At Svalbard (78°N), it begins April 20 and lasts until August 22 — four months of continuous daylight. By mid-May, the transition has already begun at most prime aurora destinations, with twilight-filled nights rather than true darkness.

The midnight sun creates experiences that draw a different type of visitor than aurora season attracts. Hiking in 24-hour daylight, photographing landscapes illuminated at midnight with warm golden light, wildlife watching at unusual hours (reindeer calving, seabird colonies at their noisiest), and the eerie psychological experience of losing track of time in continuous light are all compelling summer Arctic experiences. See the summer aurora guide for why aurora is invisible during this period and what the Arctic summer offers instead.