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Where Can I See The Northern Lights?

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Looking For The Northern Lights?

It's on my to-do list of things that I want to see before I die. While man made marvels are pretty awe inspiring to see, it's still pretty hard to beat mother nature.

As you may suspect, the best place to see the Aurora Borealis is from somewhere up north. MOre specifically, anywhere you can get to that's within 2500km (1500 miles) from the North Pole. That includes a number of countries, fortunately of which is likely close to you. Cananda (my home), Greenland, Siberia, Norway and Alaska all fall into this region. The northern areas of all these countries is where you'll want to be. Traveling to Toronto, Canada is not going to give you much of a view ;) Checkout mapquest.com, if you don't get the joke.

Now here's a bit of a surprise (at least for me) you can actually see the Northern Lights from the South Pole. So, why don't they call it the Southern Lights? Bit of a popularity contest I guess. They're simply aren't that many regions in the south suitable for human habitation, that make for a good viewing location. So unless you live in Antarctica, Tasmania, or southern New Zealand, the lights are pretty hard to see. Of course if your crazy enough to be on a boat in the Southern Ocean you may have a pretty remarkable view.

Another little piece of trivia here, is that no matter which pole you view mother natures pyrotechnics from, the show is almost identical. Pretty much, a mirror image of each other. Kinda cool huh?

Photographs Of The Northern Lights

Not quite the same as being there, I know.

You can click on any of the small pictures to see the full image. They are pretty spectacular in full size. One of these days, I will make the trip up north to view the lights in their natural habitat. For now, I'll just have to settle for this small collection.


Northern Lights Viewed Through Time Lapse Video

This video is sure to make you want to see the Aurora in person

This is a pretty amazing video, that allows for a view of the real Northern Lights from right in your own home. It's pretty surreal. I'm sure, that seeing them in person is still better. There's no way a camera can capture the true feeling of watching something like this in person. But for now, it's all you've got . . . so have a look.
Aurora (Northern Lights)
by 06solareclipse | video info

10,866 ratings | 3,185,957 views
curated content from YouTube

Northern Lights Questions, Comments and Suggestions

What are your experiences with the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

I'd love to hear some comments from anyone, whose been to see the lights in person. Please include when you visited, and exactly where you watched from. Tips for optimal viewing by the newbies would be appreciated as well. Other comments and questions are welcome as well.

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  • Reply
    Buckmeister Feb 10, 2012 @ 6:58 pm | delete
    Why dont the "northern lights" appear all around the planet ? Why just in the upper northern latituudes and lowest southern latitudes??? Why not around the equator?
  • Reply
    MelonyVaughan Feb 7, 2012 @ 6:56 pm | delete
    I wish I could see the Northern Lights! They are just stunning!
  • Reply
    Lindrus Feb 3, 2012 @ 1:29 am | delete
    Very interesting lens! I've always been fascinated but the Northern Lights, they are so beautiful. I never knew that the identical show could be seen in the south. Interesting, thanks!
  • Reply
    Jan Whitebear Jan 25, 2012 @ 2:51 am | delete
    Once, years ago in November, when I was living way down in El Paso, TX we saw the auroras! They weren't huge, but definitely there for quite a while. They were like a fuchsia colour and GORGEOUS! I would LOVE to see them again, now that I have moved up into Washington State! They said seeing them as far south as El Paso was very rare.
  • Reply
    bob Oct 30, 2011 @ 5:29 pm | delete
    where are you most likely to see an aurora borealis
  • Reply
    Linda Conlon Oct 25, 2011 @ 10:36 pm | delete
    i have seen the aurora up in winnipeg summer of '81, they weren't impressive....just sort of pale green.....then i also saw them in sept of '81 up in fairbanks,ak and they were AMAZING!!!!!!! i stood outside for an hour @midnight getting a sore neck staring up at the sky.....it was so silent.....all neon pink and green and it was like touching God..... then i also saw them a few years back i believe in january up on the indiana turnpike around 10-11pm....it was around 16 degrees......and a bunch of us truckers were eastbound.....seeing funny things in the sky, and then i realized we were seeing the aurora.....definitely something worth seeing......pictures don't do justice, but video is good, it really looks like that!!!!!!
  • Reply
    Crissy Oct 25, 2011 @ 7:01 pm | delete
    I am in Troutville, VA and the Northern Lights were very visible from here last night. They were a beautiful shade of red and very bright.
  • Reply
    Linda Conlon Oct 28, 2011 @ 9:28 am | delete
    i'm jealous.....wish i'd been there.....never seen red aurora.....
  • Reply
    Daniel Aug 12, 2011 @ 1:44 am | delete
    I'm from northern minnesota and I see them a few times a year I'ts pretty cool when I see them except when its in the winter cause then I have to sit outside when its 40 below
  • Reply
    blackspanielgallery Feb 2, 2011 @ 9:23 pm | delete
    I have never seen the northern (or southern) lights, but I have seen many images. This is the first video of any consequence I have found. I may use it in my classes (College Physical Science).
  • Reply
    ShamanicShift Sep 29, 2010 @ 11:44 pm | delete
    When I see the northern lights here in Milwaukee, green shows most.
  • Reply
    hlkljgk Sep 8, 2010 @ 5:07 pm | delete
    lovely images. i so want to see the northern lights.
  • Reply
    DYLAN Aug 1, 2010 @ 11:21 am | delete
    hi my parents said that the saw the northern lights like three years ago sitting on the porch and we live in catlin,IL IS THAT POSSIBLE AND DID WE GET A RARE SEE
  • Reply
    sine Aug 7, 2010 @ 12:39 pm | delete
    I was driving home from work one night about 8 years ago near Dekalb and swe them over a field. I had never heard of it and it terrified me. I thought I was done for. I was sure it was "the mother ship" coming to get me. HA! In hindsight, it was beautiful and amazing. I wish I'd have stopped to appreciate it and take pictures. INstead I florred it to get as far away as possible as fast as possible.
  • Reply
    cardinal33 Oct 25, 2011 @ 9:13 pm | delete
    would need to know what stste you live in .
  • Reply
    Linda Conlon Oct 28, 2011 @ 9:29 am | delete
    i live in the north ga mtns about 10 miles south of the nc line
  • Reply
    Candy-Recipe Jan 19, 2010 @ 5:57 am | delete
    Nice lens!
  • Reply
    MusicMadness Sep 17, 2009 @ 8:14 am | in reply to Garry | delete
    Gary, that's hilarious. I'm glad it wasn't the big one, as I've had some pretty good times since 1984. And still looking forward to more ;)
  • Reply
    Garry Sep 16, 2009 @ 9:57 pm | delete
    I saw the northern lights lights one night back in 1984(?) camping in the lower Adiradondacks thinking it was the Big One! Laying on my on my back, I thought, this is it! Lights were not mushrooming, but, they were flashing back and forth everywhere and all I could think of was we'd had some sort of confrontation with the Soviet Union while I was camping, and the rest was history.
    But, while all this was happening, I was just admiring the sky!
    P>S> 007 had still been in the news and Reagan was still in Town- it was a scary time!
  • Reply
    MusicMadness Feb 26, 2009 @ 9:07 am | in reply to MattTaylor | delete
    Usually it's better to be a little further North to see the Northern Lights, but I have heard claims of them being seen as far south as Florida! The best months for viewing lights are late August through to the middle of April. Midnight is astronomical midnight, which can be a hour or so different from normal clock time. Churchill Alaska is supposedly the best place on the planet to view the lights.
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MusicMadness

Hi, I'm Chris. I'm a husband, a dad, a brother, a son, a nephew, an uncle, a sailor, a pretty good squash player, a programmer, an internet marketer, a... more »

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