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The aurora borealis over Yellowknife, Northwest TerritoriesPhoto : raymond22112376 · Public domain

Aurores boréales

Où voir les aurores boréales au Canada

Les meilleurs endroits au Canada pour observer les aurores boréales, avec les mois où y aller et un conseil pour chacun, ainsi que les prévisions de ce soir selon les sources officielles. Chaque ligne renvoie à sa source.

Carte de prévision des aurores à 30 minutes de la NOAA pour l'hémisphère Nord
Carte : NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (domaine public)

Prévisions des aurores pour ce soir

La prévision à 30 minutes de la NOAA indiquant où se trouvent les aurores dans l'hémisphère Nord, et le plus récent indice Kp planétaire. Pour les prévisions canadiennes par zone, consultez Météo spatiale Canada.

Indice Kp planétaire

Chargement du plus récent indice Kp…

Source : indice K planétaire de la NOAA SWPC · Niveau d'activité selon les seuils Kp de Météo spatiale Canada

Les meilleurs endroits pour les voir

Carte du Canada avec 6 repères numérotés : 1. Yellowknife, 2. Whitehorse, 3. Churchill, 4. Kathleen Lake, Kluane, 5. Wood Buffalo National Park, 6. Jasper Dark Sky Preserve
  1. Northern lights over the tipis at Aurora Village, Yellowknife
    Photo : GoToVan · CC BY 2.0

    Northwest Territories

    Yellowknife

    Aurora Village · Observation des aurores boréales

    Pourquoi ici
    The Northwest Territories sit directly under the auroral oval, with clear skies and low humidity. Source ↗
    Yellowknife sees the northern lights up to 240 nights of the year. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    Mid-August to the end of September, and mid-November to early April Source ↗
    Conseil
    For a self-guided night, pick up a map of the viewpoints around the city in any hotel lobby. Source ↗
    Ouvrir l'adresse →
  2. The aurora over Fish Lake near Whitehorse
    Photo : Anthony DeLorenzo · CC BY 2.0

    Yukon

    Whitehorse

    Pourquoi ici
    Travel Yukon calls the Yukon one of the best places in North America to watch the northern lights. Source ↗
    Whitehorse is the easy base, with dark spots close to town: Fish Lake, Schwatka Lake, Grey Mountain, Chadburn Lake and Mount Sima. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    August to April, best between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. Source ↗
    Conseil
    Stay three nights or more to improve your odds. Source ↗
    Ouvrir Ailleurs au Yukon →
  3. The aurora borealis over Churchill, Manitoba
    Photo : TravelingOtter · CC BY 2.0

    Manitoba

    Churchill

    Pourquoi ici
    Churchill sits beneath the auroral oval, and the lights can appear up to 300 nights a year. Source ↗
    Travel Manitoba says you can see them in Churchill even at Kp 1. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    January to March Source ↗
    Conseil
    The Churchill Northern Studies Centre has a heated dome and turns its lights off once the aurora appears. Pack extra batteries: they drain fast in the cold. Source ↗
    Churchill Northern Studies Centre ↗
  4. Evening light on Kathleen Lake in Kluane National Park
    Photo : Jakub Fryš · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Yukon

    Kathleen Lake, Kluane

    Kluane National Park and Reserve · Parc national

    Pourquoi ici
    A short drive from Haines Junction, Kathleen Lake is a natural amphitheatre for the show, its calm water mirroring the lights. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    August to April Source ↗
    Conseil
    Get away from town lights: darker sites beat even the edge of Whitehorse. Source ↗
    Ouvrir l'adresse →
  5. A wood bison in Wood Buffalo National Park
    Photo : Naturedata · CC0

    Northwest Territories and Alberta

    Wood Buffalo National Park

    Parc national

    Pourquoi ici
    The world's largest Dark Sky Preserve: Parks Canada says you can watch meteors and northern lights from your campsite. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    Mid-August to the end of September, and mid-November to early April (the territory's two aurora seasons) Source ↗
    Conseil
    Fort Smith, NWT, hosts a Dark Sky Festival. Source ↗
    Ouvrir l'adresse →Parks Canada ↗
  6. Jasper Dark Sky Preserve
    Photo : m01229 from USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

    Alberta

    Jasper Dark Sky Preserve

    Jasper National Park · Parc national

    Pourquoi ici
    Jasper National Park is the second largest dark sky preserve in the world. Source ↗
    It lies south of Space Weather Canada's auroral zone, so watch the forecast for an active or stormy night. Source ↗
    Meilleurs mois
    October, for the Jasper Dark Sky Festival Source ↗
    Conseil
    At the festival, astronomers from the Jasper Planetarium lead the stargazing. Source ↗
    Ouvrir l'adresse →

Avant de partir

  • When to goThe aurora needs dark skies: in the Yukon the season runs from mid-August to mid-April, and a stay of three nights or more improves your odds. Source ↗
  • How to read KpSpace Weather Canada maps Kp to activity: 0 to 3 is quiet, 3 to 4 unsettled, 4 to 5 active, 5 to 7 stormy and 7 to 9 a major storm. Source ↗
  • How to read the NOAA mapThe green oval is where the aurora is forecast; it turns red where it is more intense. The lighter side of the map is in daylight, where the aurora can't be seen. A bright aurora can be seen from up to about 1,000 km away. Source ↗
  • Dark-sky etiquetteKeep lights low once the show starts: at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, the lights go off when the aurora appears. Source ↗
  • Dress for itWear layers, and for photos bring a camera with a manual mode, a wide lens and a tripod. Source ↗

Sources