The Northern Lights are a breathtaking natural phenomenon that so many people are eager to catch a glimpse of.
But actually seeing them in person can be challenging, and requires a lot of science and chance.
The chances of seeing the aurora borealis for yourself are higher here in Michigan, thanks to our more northern latitude. And the chances are even greater during the colder months.
Even better news: Opportunities to spot the Northern Lights in Michigan are expected to increase in the near future, according to the Michigan Aurora Chasers -- a group focused on helping people find and see the elusive aurora.
“It’s really surreal to experience it. It almost gives you an electric feeling as you watch it,” said Melissa Kaelin, the person behind the Michigan Aurora Chasers Facebook group. “There’s something about the aurora that is very mysterious and magical, and almost mystical.”
The group, which has acquired nearly 60,000 members in two years, focuses on sharing information and advice to help people hoping to see the aurora for themselves. Members use science to track the Northern Lights in real time.
“One of the most common answers to a question about the aurora is, ‘It depends,’” Kaelin said. “We have lots of experts and lots of members all over the state, even in the Upper Peninsula, who will share live alerts and tell you exactly what they’re seeing at exactly what time in exactly what location.”
The difficult-to-catch aurora is beautiful, once you’re able to see it. Even photos that capture the lights are mesmerizing on their own.
But what exactly is the cause of the illuminating light show?
“Basically, we have charged particles that come at us from the sun, and they interact with certain compounds, certain molecules in our atmosphere, and that energizes them. And that creates those lights that we see,” said 4Warn Meteorologist Paul Gross.
For those who are interested in seeing the Northern Lights for the first time, Gross says that now is the perfect time to get excited about that possibility.
“The sun goes through a 22-year cycle -- half of it is a minimum where there’s less activity, half of it is a maximum where there’s more activity. So, we’re, right now, approaching the maximum peak where there’s more solar activity happening,” Gross said.
And with more activity comes more opportunities to actually see the lights. Kaelin says we’ll reach the solar maximum in 2025, and possibly even beyond then, so viewing chances are only going to get better and better in the coming years.
The best advice Kaelin has to give for those trying to catch a glimpse: Go as far north as you can. Try to find somewhere that’s far enough away from light pollution so that it’s dark and the sky is in clear view.
“The more adjusted your eyes are to the dark, the more you’re going to see with the aurora -- whether it’s movement or color,” Kaelin said. “We really need that night vision to help us out in the dark. I recommend spending at least three hours outside in the dark.”
Dangers of the Northern Lights
An aurora is the result of disturbances created by solar wind.
Kaelin says that something most people don’t know is that solar storms, which are behind such beautiful light shows, can actually pose a great threat to society and human civilization. History shows just how dangerous a solar storm, also known as a geomagnetic storm, can really be for us.
“The event of all events was the Carrington Event of 1859. There was a solar eruption so strong that the aurora was seen as far south as Florida,” Meteorologist Gross said. “It was so bright at night that there were people who came out at night and could read by the light of the aurora.
“Some telegraph offices caught on fire as the lines got energized,” Gross continued. “There were some miners out west that actually got up thinking it was sunrise with a cloudy sky, and they started making breakfast and coffee.
“Were that event to happen today -- and that Carrington Event is only a once-every-500-year event -- it would have catastrophic impacts on things like satellites, communications and things like that. So, we don’t want to see that kind of event today.”
See the full stories in the video reports above and below.