Best time to see the northern lights: months and hours
The northern lights need a dark sky, so their season runs from late August to April in the far north, and storms are more likely near the September and March equinoxes. Pick a place to see its dark hours, cloud cover and the middle of its night, month by month.
Northern lights season, month by month
Turn on JavaScript to see each month’s dark hours and cloud cover. In Fairbanks, the aurora season runs from about August 21 to April 21.
The season: when the sky gets dark enough
The aurora is there all year, but you can only see it in a dark sky, and the far north has no real night in summer, NOAA points out. In Fairbanks, the University of Alaska says the sky doesn’t get dark enough between April 22 and August 20, so its viewing season runs from about August 21 to April 21. Visit Iceland gives September to April for Iceland.
The nights lengthen fast in autumn: on September 15, Fairbanks has about 7 hours with the sun at least 12° below the horizon, and by mid-December about 15. Tromsø, farther north, is dark enough from September to March; by mid-April its nights are already too light.
Why September and March: the equinox effect
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center says larger geomagnetic storms, and so better auroras, tend to happen near the spring and fall equinoxes. The University of Alaska calls it the Russell–McPherron effect and puts the odds over Interior Alaska at roughly twice as high at the equinoxes as at the solstices. The catch, NOAA notes, is that nights shorten quickly after the March equinox.
Clear skies matter as much as activity. In NASA’s cloud records, March is also Fairbanks’ clearest dark month (51% average cloud cover), while September and October are among its cloudiest (72–77%).
The best time of night
The aurora is usually best within an hour or two of midnight, between about 10 pm and 2 am local time, NOAA says; during strong activity it starts earlier and lasts later. The University of Alaska suggests watching the three or four hours centered on midnight.
The clock doesn’t always match the sky. The middle of the night comes at about 1:30 am in Reykjavík and about 1 am in Fairbanks in winter, but close to midnight in Tromsø. The table shows it for your place and month.
Moon, clouds and city lights
A full moon doesn’t weaken the aurora, but it makes it look fainter, NOAA explains, so nights around the new moon show more. Get away from city lights, and look for partly clear skies at least: the clearer the sky, the more aurora you’ll see, the University of Alaska says.
Where the Sun is in its 11-year cycle
In October 2024, NASA and NOAA announced that the Sun had reached the maximum period of its 11-year cycle, expected to last another year or so before activity declines. NOAA expects the next cycle to begin between 2029 and 2032. The aurora doesn’t stop in quieter years: even near solar minimum, the University of Alaska notes, many displays start north of Fairbanks around midnight.
Best time to see the northern lights, by country
- Alaska (Fairbanks): about August 21 to April 21; clearest in March and January.
- Canada (Yellowknife): dark enough from September to April; clearest in March (49% cloud) and February (51%).
- Iceland: September to April; around 80% cloud cover all winter, so allow several nights.
- Norway (Tromsø), Sweden (Abisko) and Finland (Rovaniemi): dark enough from September to March; inland Lapland is a little clearer than the coast.
Choosing where to go? The best places to see the northern lights ranks 14 places for any month, and Sky & Light has tonight’s Kp forecast.
Questions
When is the best time to see the northern lights?
On a clear, dark night between late August and April, ideally near the September or March equinox, between about 10 pm and 2 am, NOAA says. The planner shows when your place is dark enough, and how cloudy it usually is.
What is the best month to see the northern lights?
No single month wins everywhere. Storms are more likely in September and March, near the equinoxes; December and January have the longest nights; and many places are clearer in late winter. In Fairbanks, March brings both the equinox and the clearest skies of the season (51% average cloud cover).
What time of night is best for the northern lights?
Between about 10 pm and 2 am, NOAA says, and the University of Alaska suggests the three or four hours centered on midnight. Clocks don’t always match the sky: in Reykjavík the middle of the night comes at about 1:30 am.
When is the best time to see northern lights in Alaska?
From about August 21 to April 21 in Fairbanks, says the University of Alaska, which adds that aurora is roughly twice as likely around the equinoxes as at the solstices. March and January are Fairbanks’ clearest dark months in NASA’s cloud data.
When is the best time to see northern lights in Iceland?
From September to April, says Visit Iceland, with more activity around the September and March equinoxes. Reykjavík averages around 80% cloud cover all winter, so plan several nights and check the cloud forecast each evening.
When is the best time to see northern lights in Norway?
In Tromsø, from September to March: by mid-April the nights are already too light. Clouds are common there (82–85% on average), so allow several nights.