How far north do I have to go to view the northern lights?

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scubabob

I'm not sure who's knocking down the answers that mention Ontario. It IS possible to see them on some nights, from here. I live about 30 miles north of Toronto, in a rural location ( few if any street lights) and usually get to see them once or twice a year after the sun has been a little more active than usual, spewing out radiation.

trini1313

Here is a prediction link, with maps:
http://www.softservenews.com/aurora.htm

and more info here:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Aurora/

Unfortunate, there are really no guarantees that the lights will appear on a particular date/place unless you go far north (think Yukon, Alaska, Nunavut, NWT in Canada) This makes it hard to make travel plans surrounding them. In Ontario, you might want to try Kapuskasing from September to October and from March to April (around the spring/fall equinox)? Or Moosonee, if you want an even better chance.

Luthyin

Pretty much anywhere in canada.

christinafleur.

They can be seen particularly in the polar zone. The aurora borealis is also called the northern [polar] lights, as it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April.

I know you can see them in Iceland, Greenland, Norway etc. People have seen them (probably not as frequently) in Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Northern New York, Vermont, and Maine, Wisconsin, Chicago, etc, so it's likely!

Visit your local travel agency to enquire about them locally.

Imaka

The Northern Lights most often occur from September to October and from March to April. Go as far north in Ontario as you can, and get away from populated areas so it is as dark as possible. Street lights and the lights of cities would make it hard to see them. But there in no quarantee that you will see them on any given night. They can be seen throughout northern Canada, and other northern countries. The most spectacular northern lights I have seen were in northern Labrador in the winter. I have seen them in the Arctic as well, but they were not nearly as spectacular as in Labrador.

SteveX

I've seen them in Boston USA but it is extremely rare. Than I saw them all the time when I was in Fairbanks, Alaska. So I would say that you would be able to see them in Ontario. I guess the real question is when to look.

kent_shakespear

I've seen them in the Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and upstate New York.

they get better the farther north you go - but not too far; I know it's possible to go to far north in Greenland to see them, so don't go to the high arctic.

Choqs

You should be able to see them in Ontario the farther north you travel the better you see them. I live in the northern part of Alberta and we see them quite often sometimes more spectacular than at others. Being in the country away from city lights of course makes all the difference.

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