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

Northern lights

Where to see the northern lights in Canada

The best places in Canada to watch the aurora borealis, with the months to go and a tip for each, plus tonight's forecast from the official trackers. Every line links to its source.

NOAA's 30-minute aurora forecast map of the northern hemisphere
Map: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (public domain)

Tonight's aurora forecast

NOAA's 30-minute forecast of where the aurora is over the northern hemisphere, and the latest planetary Kp index. For the Canadian outlook by zone, check Space Weather Canada.

Planetary Kp index

Loading the latest Kp…

Source: NOAA SWPC planetary K-index · Activity level per Space Weather Canada's Kp bands

The best places to see them

  1. Northwest Territories

    Yellowknife

    Aurora Village · Aurora viewing

    Why here
    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 ↗
    Best months
    Mid-August to the end of September, and mid-November to early April Source ↗
    Tip
    For a self-guided night, pick up a map of the viewpoints around the city in any hotel lobby. Source ↗
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Before you go

  • 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

Hand-picked across Canada.

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