Sometimes healing comes in the most unexpected places, including under a cold, dark Minnesota sky. There’s something unforgettable about seeing the aurora in real time. Seeing the aurora can be a bucket list item, but chasing it can offer lessons in patience, hope, and gratitude. Experiencing the northern lights can also support overall well-being. This article features three experts: space physics Ph.D. student and aurora researcher Vincent Ledvina, retired science teacher and photographer Elizabeth Miller, and photographer Hussain Alwael. Featured image courtesy of Vincent Ledvina.

What Are the Northern Lights?

The Aurora Borealis is a natural display of light visible in the night sky. It occurs when electrons from space interact with Earth’s upper atmosphere. Ledvina explained that the different colors are due to different gases being excited in the atmosphere. He also shared that the aurora holds cultural significance for many Indigenous peoples that predates Western science.

Aurora Chasing Basics for Beginners

Chasing the aurora can be as simple as a virtual chase to as complex as taking an aurora tour in Alaska or Norway. It’s always smart to have a plan and know what you’re getting into. As the saying goes, “Expectations are premeditated resentments.” Have hope—but remember that the aurora doesn’t have an itinerary. Miller, who regularly photographs the northern lights in northern Minnesota, said that they aren’t a destination that you can just “go and see” like the Duluth Aerial Life Bridge.

Best Conditions for Seeing the Northern Lights in Minnesota

Clear skies are important, but a few stray clouds can add interest and mood to photos. The best time to see the aurora in Minnesota is between fall and spring, though summer can bring some amazing shows. Some people avoid chasing in the summer due to limited dark hours, wildfire smoke, bugs, and ticks.

Aurora Chasing Etiquette

Awareness around aurora chasing etiquette goes a long way toward making the experience enjoyable for everyone.

• Lights and Screens Turn off your car lights as soon as possible when you arrive and do not rely on the auto feature. If you can, back up so that when you leave, the headlights will be facing away from the aurora. Use a red headlamp, and keep it aimed down and away from where people are pointing their cameras. Turn your phone and LCD screen brightness all the way down. Alwael notes that our pupils naturally dilate to adjust to a dim environment, which allows more light to enter our eyes. He also suggests staying away from artificial lighting for 10-15 minutes before you can truly see the aurora.
• Noise and Movement People get excited when seeing the aurora, especially for the first time. Keep your voice down, and try not to repeatedly open and shut car doors. Give photographers space and avoid walking in front of their cameras. Lastly, please don’t sneak up on people.
• Dogs Dogs on leashes can knock over tripods, and barking disrupts the experience for everyone. It might be best to leave them at home.
• General Courtesy Some people like to socialize when aurora chasing, others do not. Be mindful of those who prefer silence. Pick up any garbage before you leave. Most importantly, stay off of private land.

Aurora Chasing Safety Tips

Aurora chasing often means being out alone in the dark. A little preparation goes a long way. Scout your location during the daytime and take photos so you can find landmarks after dark. Make sure someone knows where you’re going, and what time you will be back. If you’re visiting a location for the first time it’s helpful to have someone with you.

Be aware of the local wildlife. A moose encounter up north can be dangerous, and a skunk encounter can be disastrous. Keep emergency supplies in the car year-round including food, water, and blankets. It’s a good idea to also have the contact for a towing company handy. Treat your clothing for bugs, bring bug spray, and check for ticks.

Know where the nearest 24-hour gas station is, and try to stay in cell service range. Don’t drive when you’re tired. You can pull over and sleep for a bit at a rest stop if you need to. A virtual chase can be rewarding, and it might be a better option if you have limited transportation, health challenges, or have to work the next day.

Best Places to See the Northern Lights in Minnesota

From the fall through the spring, there are usually hours of darkness to view the aurora from Minnesota State Parks before they close for the night. In the summer, consider renting a campsite, or using public water access sites and boat launches. If you want to venture north, Voyageurs National Park is a designated Dark Sky Park. In 2020, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) was designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. On nights with stronger geomagnetic activity, head south to areas like Hastings, or the Eagle Lake Observatory in Norwood Young America. Just make sure that you’re staying off of privately owned land.

Use a light pollution app to see the Bortle Scale for certain areas. This will help you get to a better location. During a stronger aurora event, there is a possibility of seeing them with your eyes in the Twin Cities area, which is generally anywhere between a Bortle Class 5 to 9. Miller said light pollution can travel up to 60 miles. She added that unless there is a stronger geomagnetic event, the North Shore is challenging because there are few spots on the shoreline that face directly north. Heading inland can open up more options.

Best Aurora Forecast Apps and Tools

Modern tools make aurora chasing easier. Beginners can start with SpaceWeatherLive and the Glendale App for real time alerts and data. Other essential apps include weather, GPS, and light pollution maps.

For community reports and live time photos, check Facebook groups like the Upper Midwest Aurora Chasers or Twin Cities Aurora Chasers. You can also contribute sightings to Aurorasaurus, a NASA-supported citizen science project that uses citizen data to improve predictions.

Aurora chasing has become easier thanks to a growing number of tools that help people track solar activity, cloud cover, and local sightings. Beginners may want to start with a few trusted resources:

• SpaceWeatherLive Real-time solar activity and geomagnetic storm data.
• Glendale App Popular aurora alerts and forecast tool.
• Aurorasaurus Ledvina has been involved with this NASA-supported citizen science project since 2020. It is used for reporting aurora sightings in real-time to help improve aurora predictions. Adding photos is highly encouraged.
• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) Trusted educational resources.
• Light Pollution Map Map of dark-sky and light pollution areas for aurora viewing.
• Avenza Maps Best for navigating remote areas without cell service. Download free georeferenced maps to see your real-time GPS location and avoid accidentally accessing private land. Some aurora chasers also use Gaia GPS or onX Hunt.
• Any good weather app, and a cloud app like Astropheric, Windy, Clear Outside, or even Zoom Earth.
• Facebook Groups – Communities such as the Upper Midwest Aurora Chasers, Northern Lights | Lake Superior Region, Great Lakes Aurora Hunters, and Twin Cities Aurora Chasers often share real-time reports and photos.

You don’t need expensive gear to photograph the aurora. A smartphone with night mode, a tripod, and a remote shutter can capture good images.

Understanding Aurora Forecast Limitations

Ledvina cautions against relying on the Kp index alone, noting that it represents a three-hour average of past activity rather than real-time conditions. Instead, he recommends tracking solar wind data and coronal mass ejections (CME), along with measurements from L1 monitoring points where the data is observed before reaching earth. This can provide about a one-hour lead time to help aurora chasers get to their location. Ground-based magnetometers, webcams, and reports from aurora chasers can help confirm aurora activity.

Miller adds that long-range aurora forecasts are often unreliable, comparing them to a meteorologist predicting thunderstorms several days in advance.

How the Aurora Can Support Recovery and Mental Wellness

Grounding, Presence, and the Night Sky

There is something surreal about being outside at night in nature. You feel centered on the ground, hear the crunch of each step, and the anticipation builds as you find your spot. Away from screens and the noise of daily life, the awe takes over and the mind begins to settle with an inner calm. The smells, sounds, and the things that are easy to miss during the day, bring focus to the present moment. Aurora chasing requires patience. There is no rushing the lights or forcing them to appear. The quiet waiting and watching can be a form of mindfulness.

Planning, Safety, and Taking Back Control

For people who live with chronic health conditions that limit what they can do, a well-planned aurora chase can be empowering. Being intentional about safety includes knowing your location well, having a friend or two with you, and staying within your limits physically and mentally. When the planning pays off, there is a sense of having shown up for yourself, and that can build confidence. For people carrying the weight of trauma or anxiety, being present and reclaiming peace can feel like a new form of freedom.

Uncertainty, Resilience, and Showing Up Anyway

Even on nights with strong forecasts, the aurora may not cooperate the way that you’d hoped. It may show briefly, arrive after you leave your location, or it may not show up at all. Learning to hold onto hope while accepting this uncertainty is similar to the skills required in recovery: patience, flexibility, and not giving up. Disappointment is a part of the process, but so is resilience.

Perspective and Connection

Standing and watching the aurora move across the dark sky has a way of putting things into perspective. Seeing something so vast and powerful can bring a sense of humility. Many people feel a sense of peace and connection to something greater than themselves. Whether going out with friends or standing near strangers who share the same excitement, aurora chasing can foster a sense of belonging. For some, that connection is spiritual. Whatever it means, that brief shift in perspective can be a powerful part of the healing journey.

Creating Joy Through the Night Sky

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, where flat rooftops open to the sky are common, Alwael spent childhood nights staring at the stars. After moving to the United States for graduate studies, he saw the northern lights for the first time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and continues to see them in Minnesota. He says the excitement never fades.

Alwael said that photography and the night sky helped him to better understand his ADHD. He explained that when daily life feels repetitive, the brain searches for an escape, and without the right support, unhealthy coping patterns can develop. He added that he chose “photography and the night sky” as his healthy coping mechanism and hobby.

Alwael offered this encouragement: “Believe in yourself, and focus on what excites you to develop healthy coping mechanisms to help yourself on your healing journey. Be kind and loving to yourself, no matter what happens or mistakes you make, because you deserve kindness, love, and joy. Create your joy.”

Miller shared that older generations got to experience stronger solar cycles. Her dad grew up in the Iron Range in the 30s and 40s, and lived in Duluth in the 50s, and her dad “talked about it all the time.” Her most memorable experience came in the mid-1970s in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). The BWCA sits on the Canadian Shield, an ancient rock formation nearly three billion years old, unique to Canada and the northernmost upper Midwest.

Miller recalls lying on a north-facing campsite with her friends after a hot day, the rocks were still warm beneath them. She watched the blues, greens, whites, and reds of the aurora move across the sky. The rocks had absorbed the sun’s heat and were radiating it back. “Wolves howling. Loons calling. Owls hooting.” She describes the experience as “spirituality and science all rolled into one,” and notes it is something the Canadian Shield makes possible in ways that Iceland, Norway, and even Alaska.

Aurora Photography Tips from the Experts

Alwael shares that a photographer does not necessarily need the highest-end and most expensive equipment. He believes that “skill and knowledge are what make one a true photographer.” If you’re using a smartphone with night mode, be sure to use a tripod and a remote. If you’d like to get better photos, moving to a mirrorless or DSLR camera system may be your next step.

Alwael works at National Camera Exchange where he is the only in-house astrophotographer. He leads an annual astrophotography workshop, and offers one-to-one training. He recommends starting with the following:

• A used camera body with manual setting, and a good low-light sensor (ISO value of 3200 or more).
• Wide-angle lens (20mm or lower) with an aperture of F/2.8 or less. The closer the F number to 1, the more light the lens lets in.
• Sturdy tripod to position the camera, compose the photo, and prevent shakiness.
• Remote shutter release to control the camera without adding external camera shake from your hands.

Miller has taught the Northern Lights 101 class at various state parks for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. She also shares her knowledge as an admin in the Upper Midwest Aurora Chasers group on Facebook.

A Complete Guide to Aurora Photography by Ledvina is a helpful e-book full of tips regarding settings, gear, editing, and actually taking the photo (for smartphone and pro camera). Mike Shaw’s The Beginner’s Guide to Astrophotography covers photographing the aurora as well as other astronomical events like comets, meteors, eclipses, and the Milky Way.

Expert Insight: Vincent Ledvina

Can you share a little about your PhD research, and what drew you to studying the aurora and space weather?

My PhD research focuses on auroral beads and how these small-scale structures develop into auroral substorms. I also use citizen science to study auroral phenomena. This work matters because it helps us understand how Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere interact. That kind of fundamental research improves the models used in space weather forecasting, which in turn can help reduce the impacts of space weather on modern technology.

Substorms, in particular, can dump a large amount of energy into Earth’s atmosphere very quickly. That can increase atmospheric heating and satellite drag, raise radiation exposure that may affect satellites and their electronics, induce currents on the ground that can disrupt power grids, and interfere with signals such as GPS.

I was drawn to studying the aurora because it sits at the intersection of photography, art, science, culture, and tourism. I’m especially interested in Indigenous perspectives on the aurora and the fact that cultural understandings of it long predate Western scientific explanations. Those stories matter, and I think it is important to recognize that Western science is only one way of understanding the phenomenon.

I’m also drawn to the aurora for its beauty. I saw my first aurora in 2003 during the Halloween storm, when I was only four years old. I still remember seeing the lights dancing in the sky, and that experience definitely helped shape my passion for nature, astronomy, and the outdoors. I was always a science-minded kid, and later I fell in love with photography and astrophotography. Aurora photography became especially meaningful to me because it combines science, real-time monitoring, prediction, and artistry. To capture the aurora well, you have to understand the data and the science behind it, and that challenge is a big part of what makes it so compelling.

For people who may be new to aurora chasing, can you explain what the solar cycle is? Where are we in that cycle right now, and how does that impact the chances of seeing the aurora in Minnesota? 

The Sun goes through an activity cycle roughly every 11 years, known as the solar cycle. During that cycle, the Sun’s magnetic field changes and eventually flips. Because the Sun rotates at different speeds at different latitudes, its magnetic field lines become twisted over time and can emerge through the surface as sunspots. The number of sunspots is one of the main ways we track solar activity, and that number rises and falls between solar minimum and solar maximum.

Right now, we are in the declining phase of Solar Cycle 25. The solar maximum occurred around late 2024, and solar minimum will likely arrive around 2030. But that does not mean aurora activity immediately drops off. In fact, geomagnetic activity and the number of geomagnetic storms often peak one to two years after solar maximum.

As we move away from maximum, sunspots gradually become less common. Sunspots can produce solar storms and coronal mass ejections, which are major eruptions of plasma and energy from the Sun. When those eruptions are directed toward Earth, they can trigger geomagnetic storms and enhance auroral activity.

At the same time, sunspots are not the only source of space weather. Coronal holes are regions in the Sun’s atmosphere where the solar wind escapes more easily and at higher speeds. Because the Sun rotates about once every 27 days, these coronal holes can act like rotating beacons that repeatedly send faster solar wind toward Earth. They can persist for multiple solar rotations, which makes their effects relatively predictable compared with more sudden events like coronal mass ejections.

For places like Minnesota, that matters because the aurora can be visible even without a major geomagnetic storm. You do not necessarily need extreme activity—you just need the aurora to be bright enough and high enough in the sky, with clear, dark conditions. Sometimes the aurora may sit low on the horizon, but modern cameras, including phones with long-exposure modes, can often pick it up even when it is faint to the eye.

Geomagnetic storms do help because they push the auroral oval farther south, which makes the aurora appear higher in the sky over Minnesota and visible across more of the night. There are also shorter bursts of activity called substorms—one of the main things I study—which can suddenly make the aurora brighter, more dynamic, and taller in the sky. Those are often the moments when the best displays happen. They are also difficult to predict, which is part of what makes aurora chasing so exciting. It takes both scientific knowledge and a lot of patience.

You’ve been involved in helping people connect with aurora research through citizen science. For those who are curious about the aurora and want to go a step further, how can they get involved or contribute to research like yours? 

One project I have been involved with since 2020 is Aurorasaurus, a NASA-supported citizen science project that helps improve aurora predictions. The idea is simple but powerful: people submit real-time reports of whether they are seeing the aurora, and those reports are used to compare what models predict with what is actually happening on the ground.

On the Aurorasaurus website, you can view a map showing the modeled location of the aurora alongside real-time public reports. This is especially useful during major geomagnetic storms, when conditions can change quickly and the models are often less reliable. Those user reports can help reveal when substorms are happening, because sudden surges in reports often line up with bursts of auroral activity that models alone may miss.

Photos are also valuable. Aurorasaurus encourages people to submit images along with their reports, and those images can become useful scientific records. They help researchers better understand where the aurora was visible during large storms and improve future modeling efforts.

For anyone who is curious about the aurora and wants to go a step further, citizen science is one of the best ways to get involved. Even a simple “yes, I saw it here” report can be scientifically useful. It helps researchers map out where the aurora actually appeared, understand how the auroral oval behaved during a storm, and better connect large-scale space weather events to what people experienced on the ground.

Many people travel to places like Norway, Iceland, and Alaska to see the northern lights. What makes Alaska such a reliable and unique place to experience them?

You can absolutely see the aurora in Minnesota, but if you want a reliable chance of seeing it, the best places are underneath one of the two auroral ovals that surround the geomagnetic poles. These ovals are typically centered around 66 to 68 degrees geomagnetic latitude in each hemisphere. In the north, that is the aurora borealis, and in the south, the aurora australis.

Fairbanks, Alaska—where I live—is one of the best places in the world because it lies directly beneath the auroral oval. When you are under the oval, the aurora can appear overhead even during relatively quiet geomagnetic conditions. That means that as long as it is dark and clear, your chances of seeing the lights are extremely high.

Compared with other well-known aurora destinations such as Norway, Iceland, or Finland, Alaska—especially the Fairbanks area—also tends to offer relatively favorable weather. That is important because clouds are one of the biggest obstacles to aurora viewing. The aurora happens high above the clouds, so any cloud cover can block the view completely.

Another advantage is infrastructure. Fairbanks has a strong road network leading out of town, which means that even if it is cloudy in one area, you may be able to drive to clearer skies. That combination of location under the auroral oval, frequent visibility, and practical access is what makes Alaska such a reliable and unique place to experience the northern lights.

After all your experience studying and chasing the aurora, what keeps drawing you back?

What still draws me to the aurora is the fact that it always has the potential to do something unexpected. A big part of aurora chasing is trying to predict its behavior using everything I have learned, while knowing that it can still surprise you. In that sense, it is a bit like studying a wild animal: you may understand its behavior most of the time, but there are always rare moments that challenge what you thought you knew and push you to grow as a scientist.

I also love the way science directly improves the chasing experience. The more I learn about concepts like substorms and how to monitor auroral activity in real time, the better I can anticipate when a night might turn into something special. Even though substorms are difficult to predict, understanding the science gives you a much better chance of being in the right place at the right time.

Another thing that keeps me motivated is seeing other people experience the aurora for the first time. Watching their reactions and hearing what it means to them is incredibly rewarding. Seeing the northern lights changed my life, and I want other people to have the chance to experience that same sense of wonder in a deep and meaningful way.

I also enjoy sharing that experience through the tours and workshops I run in Fairbanks. Working with my guides, Maia and Levi, and leading spring aurora workshops gives me a chance to put my skills to the test while helping others have a meaningful and memorable experience. Providing people with a real connection to the aurora is something that matters a great deal to me.

Finding Light in the Darkness

Recovery and healing often happen one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time. The aurora can serve as a reminder that light still exists in darkness, and that hope can appear in unexpected ways.

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Jen Shepherd, MSW, LICSW, LCSW is a Minnesota based integrative psychotherapist, clinical aromatherapist, and aurora chaser. She is also the Community Relations Director and Co-Publisher of The Phoenix Spirit. You can find her work at Shepherd Therapy and Shepherd Wellness.

Vincent Ledvina is a Space Physics Ph.D. student and professional aurora chaser. You can find his work at The Aurora Guy.

Elizabeth Miller is a retired elementary science teacher, turned photographer. She has been watching/chasing northern lights since she was a small child. You can find her work at Spruce Court Photography.

Hussain Alwael is the Bioimaging Technical Sales Specialist at National Camera Exchange. He holds a bachelor’s degree in plant biotechnology and does landscape, macro, and astrophotography. You can find his work on Instagram.