Anticipated Aurora Sightings in 2025: Lodestar Locations to Witness Northern Lights Across the U.S. and Europe
The year 2022 has seen some spectacular Northern Lights displays, but is 2025 set to top it? Following the total solar eclipse in North America on April 8, global aurora appearances were prevalent, including notable displays on May 10 and October 10, along with numerous smaller showings near the U.S.-Canada border.
The cause behind these celestial events is the solar wind, a stream of charged particles originating from the sun, interacting with Earth's magnetic field. The particles are super-charged by a coronal mass ejection – a cloud of charged particles – that takes around a few days to reach our planet. With the sun currently experiencing its solar maximum, as confirmed by NASA and NOAA, solar activity is at its peak for at least 11 years, and it's reportedly at a 23-year high.
So, what can we expect in the future? Will the Northern Lights continue to dazzle us?
Northern Lights in 2025: Predicted to Be a Golden Year
“We are still in solar maximum, which lasts a few years,” explained Wil Cheung, known for his precise aurora alerts on his Wil Photography channel on Instagram and Facebook. “We reach the peak by observing the positions of sunspots on the sun’s surface.” Sunspots are typically found near the sun's equator during solar maximum.
However, while the sunspots in the Northern Hemisphere are close to the equator, those in the Southern Hemisphere are not quite there yet. “A lag usually occurs,” stated Cheung. “This suggests we have a few more years of intense solar activity ahead of us.”
Prolonged solar activity significantly boosts the chances of auroras, making 2025 a promising year for aurora enthusiasts.
Northern Lights in 2025: Lower Latitude Auroras: An Unusual Delight
Recent competitions for the best northern lights images have shown auroras close to the equator, notably from Spitzkoppe in Namibia, located 21 degrees south of the equator, and from Tenerife, found 28 degrees north of the equator.
The possibility of seeing auroras at lower latitudes in 2025 is quite high. “Even if the aurora is not the primary focus of the trip,” suggested Dan Zafra, “keeping an eye on locations with potential for aurora displays could be worthwhile.” This includes states with higher latitudes in the U.S., such as Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, as well as countries at lower latitudes in Europe, like the UK, Denmark, and Germany.
Lower latitude displays may not compare to those seen in the Arctic, but they offer unique experiences for those in regions where auroras are rare.
Northern Lights in 2025: Best Places to Witness the Spectacle
Auroras can occasionally be spotted from the U.S. and Europe, but traditional hotspots for aurora viewing are still the go-to places. “The best places to visit are still those around the auroral oval, such as Alaska, Scandinavia, Iceland, or the South Island of New Zealand and Tasmania in the Southern Hemisphere,” according to Dan Zafra.
For those considering waiting for the aurora to come to them or traveling to polar regions, Wil Cheung offers some advice. “While solar maximum does bring the auroral oval to more southern latitudes, the frequency of aurora storms is increased during this period,” said Cheung. “Your chances of seeing good aurora storms are higher during solar maximum, so traveling to polar regions can be highly rewarding.”
In summary, if you're eager to witness the most captivating aurora displays, 2025 could be the ideal year to visit the Arctic Circle. Stay put, and you'll still have a good chance of catching a glimpse of the aurora, but a trip to the Arctic offers you a greater chance of experiencing fully blown aurora shows. Here's to clear skies and wide-open eyes!
The upcoming aurora forecast for 2025 suggests an exciting year for Northern Lights enthusiasts, with Wil Cheung predicting intense solar activity due to the solar maximum being in its final stages. This means an 'aurora alert' might be more frequent, increasing the chances of witnessing the 'Northern Lights tonight' or 'Aurora tonight'. Online sources like NASA and NOAA also confirm that the sun's activity is at a 23-year high. For those curious about 'northern lights where when', keep an eye on Aurora forecasts and alerts. The unique phenomenon of 'northern lights' appearing close to the equator, like in Spitzkoppe, Namibia, and Tenerife, adds a new dimension to the excitement, making 'lower latitude auroras' an 'unusual delight' for 2025.
