When conditions line up
The northern lights
Curtains of green and pink when the sun’s weather reaches us.
When and where to look
Dark, clear nights during a geomagnetic storm. How strong a storm you need depends on how far you are from the magnetic pole. The display can come and go within minutes.
Why it happens
The aurora is the glow of the upper atmosphere when particles from the sun pour in along Earth’s magnetic field. It usually rings the poles, but during a strong geomagnetic storm it spreads far enough to be seen much further south, and in the southern hemisphere much further north.
How to catch one
- Look toward the pole: north in the northern hemisphere, south in the southern.
- Find a dark spot with a low, open horizon in that direction.
- Try your phone camera: it often picks up colour your eyes see as a pale glow.
- Wait it out. Displays brighten and fade in waves.
Nature notifications
Wildlife, seasonal changes, weather and sky events near you.