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Northern lights guides for curious sky watchers

Learn how aurora forecasts work, what affects visibility, and how to give yourself better odds when the sky starts getting interesting.

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Every published guide from Northern Lights Tonight, collected in one place.

Cover Image for Why Are the Northern Lights So Active Right Now?

Why Are the Northern Lights So Active Right Now?

The northern lights have been unusually active because Solar Cycle 25 is in its maximum phase, with high sunspot activity leading to more solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and stronger geomagnetic storms.

Cover Image for What Is the Aurora Borealis?

What Is the Aurora Borealis?

The Aurora Borealis, or northern lights, is a natural light display caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field and upper atmosphere.