United States8,162 places
Northern Lights in United States: Where and When to See Them
Parts of United States lie right under the auroral oval: near Fairbanks the aurora can appear on almost any clear, dark night. Near Fairbanks, March has historically been the best month (72% of nights).
Featured destinations
Kp 0.7 Anchorage
Alaska
Kp 0 Fairbanks
Alaska
Kp 3.3 Marquette
Michigan
Kp 0 Utqiagvik
Alaska
Kp 5.3 Bar Harbor
Maine
Kp 6.3 Cherry Springs State Park
Pennsylvania
Kp 2.7 Grand Marais
Minnesota
Kp 0 Coldfoot
Alaska
Kp 0 Talkeetna
Alaska
Kp 3 Copper Harbor
Michigan
Where the aurora is easiest to see
| Place | Region | Kp needed | Kp for photos | Magnetic latitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.1° |
| Badger | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.1° |
| College | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.1° |
| Farmers Loop | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.2° |
| Utqiagvik | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 70.4° |
| Nome | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 62.1° |
| Kotzebue | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.1° |
| Eielson Air Force Base Census Designated Place | Alaska | 0 | 0 | 65.0° |
Largest cities
| Place | Population | Kp needed |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | 8,804,190 | 6.7 |
| Los Angeles | 3,820,914 | 9+ |
| Brooklyn | 2,736,074 | 6.7 |
| Chicago | 2,664,452 | 5.7 |
| Queens | 2,316,841 | 6.7 |
| Houston | 2,314,157 | 9+ |
| Phoenix | 1,650,070 | 9+ |
| Philadelphia | 1,573,916 | 7 |
Live sightings
Where visitors are reporting the aurora right now. A place climbs with every report and drops again as the reports age.
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Latest reports
Regions of United States
- CaliforniaKp 7.7+ · 262
- New YorkKp 4.7+ · 260
- TexasKp 8.7+ · 173
- IllinoisKp 5.3+ · 381
- FloridaKp for photos 6 · 40
- OhioKp 5.7+ · 248
- MassachusettsKp 6+ · 152
- WashingtonKp 4+ · 269
- New JerseyKp 6.7+ · 84
- MichiganKp 3+ · 276
- ArizonaKp for photos 5 · 34
- North CarolinaKp 8.3+ · 90
- VirginiaKp 7.3+ · 86
- PennsylvaniaKp 5.7+ · 100
- MinnesotaKp 2.3+ · 233
- MarylandKp 7+ · 71
- ColoradoKp 6.7+ · 59
- WisconsinKp 3.3+ · 225
- GeorgiaKp 9+ · 143
- IndianaKp 5.7+ · 141
- TennesseeKp 8+ · 92
- MissouriKp 6.3+ · 93
- ConnecticutKp 6.3+ · 40
- OregonKp 5.3+ · 91
- KentuckyKp 7+ · 87
- NevadaKp 7.7+ · 22
- OklahomaKp 8+ · 71
- UtahKp 6.7+ · 50
- AlabamaKp 9+ · 63
- IowaKp 5+ · 144
- KansasKp 6.7+ · 65
- LouisianaKp for photos 5 · 39
- South CarolinaKp 9+ · 53
- ArkansasKp 8.3+ · 61
- New MexicoKp 8.7+ · 31
- NebraskaKp 5.3+ · 68
- MississippiKp 9+ · 60
- District of ColumbiaKp 7.3+ · 5
- IdahoKp 3.7+ · 46
- New HampshireKp 5+ · 88
- MaineKp 4+ · 82
- Rhode IslandKp 6.3+ · 13
- AlaskaKp 0+ · 59
- MontanaKp 2.7+ · 55
- South DakotaKp 4+ · 46
- North DakotaKp 2.3+ · 35
- West VirginiaKp 6.3+ · 33
- WyomingKp 5+ · 26
- VermontKp 4.7+ · 26
- DelawareKp 7+ · 4
Practical information for United States
- Emergency number
- 911
- Access to land
- There is no general right to roam; trespass law is set by each state, so stay on public land (national parks, national forests, BLM land) or get the landowner's permission, and follow each park's night-time and parking rules.
- Winter driving
- Tyre and chain rules are set at state level; check Alaska 511 (511.alaska.gov, Alaska DOT&PF) for Alaska roads, or the relevant state's 511 service elsewhere. Road conditions
- Drones
- Recreational flyers must pass the FAA's TRUST test, register drones of 250 g or more on FAADroneZone, and fly no higher than 400 ft AGL in uncontrolled airspace (LAANC authorization needed in controlled airspace): https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers
- Official space-weather service
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (aurora dashboard)
- Weather service
- National Weather Service (NOAA)
- Certified dark-sky places
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota · Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota · Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine · Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Michigan · Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (Glacier NP, Montana)
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is DarkSky International's largest Dark Sky Sanctuary (about 1.1 million acres).
The Headlands (Emmet County, Mackinaw City) is open 24/7 year-round with no entrance fee.
Compiled from official government, road-authority and weather-service sources. Rules change; check them before you travel.