The science, the timing, and the gear behind a good night of aurora.
Guides from the team behind Moose: the physics that actually makes the sky move, where and when to go looking, how to bring a camera that keeps up, and what the sun is doing right now.
Strong G3 Geomagnetic Storm Underway: Northern Lights Tonight
A fast CME arrived a day early and pushed Kp to 7 under the new moon. The live data, who can see the aurora tonight and what comes next.
Monthly forecastNorthern Lights Forecast for October 2026
A G2 storm already, a storm watch under the new moon, and two more windows on 21–23 October and Halloween. The best nights of the month, based on NOAA data.
News · ForecastNorthern Lights This Weekend + the 2026–27 Season Dates
G1–G2 storms forecast for 10–12 October under a new moon, plus every new moon, equinox and key aurora date through April 2027.
Space weatherNorthern Lights in 2026 and 2027: Is the Solar Maximum Over?
Solar Cycle 25 peaked in October 2024. Here's why the declining years are often the best for aurora, with NOAA's sunspot data.
PlanningBest Time to See the Northern Lights: Hour, Month, and Year
Magnetic midnight, the equinox effect, and the solar cycle: three clocks that decide when the aurora shows up, and how to line them all up.
ScienceCan You See the Northern Lights With the Naked Eye?
Why faint aurora looks grey in person but green on your phone, why red almost never shows up by eye, and how to train your eyes to see more.
ScienceWhat Actually Causes the Northern Lights
Solar wind, a stretched magnetotail, and a sudden release called a substorm — the real chain of events behind the glow, in the order it actually happens.
Data literacyReading the Kp Index Like a Forecaster
Kp 5 isn't just "bigger than Kp 4." Here's what each step of the 0–9 scale, and NOAA's G1–G5 storm labels, actually mean for how far south you'll see anything.
TravelBest Places to See the Northern Lights, and When
Why the aurora oval favors a ring around 65–72°N, which cities sit right under it, and the specific months that trade daylight for dark, clear skies.
GearAurora Photography: Camera Settings for Beginners
Manual mode, a tripod, and four numbers to get right before you ever press the shutter — plus why your phone's night mode gets closer than you'd think.
GeariPhone & Samsung Camera Settings for the Northern Lights
Night mode, Pro mode, ISO, shutter and focus: exactly what to tap on an iPhone or Galaxy to photograph the aurora, plus a settings cheat sheet.
ConditionsWhy the Moon (and City Lights) Can Ruin Your Photos
A storm can be firing on all cylinders and still be invisible — here's how moonlight and light pollution quietly wash out exactly the faint displays you're after.