Aurora Chasing in the Keweenaw for First Timers

The Keweenaw Peninsula, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and stunning architecture, also serves as an unexpected sanctuary for witnessing the Northern Lights. Many visitors come with a bucket list of natural wonders, but few realize they can experience a cosmic spectacle as well!

If you’re fortunate enough to visit during a major aurora event and the in-person and online buzz have you excitedly Googling “How to see the auroras in the Keweenaw”, we’ve put together this aurora-chasing guide featuring insights from professional aurora hunter and author Melissa Kaelin! Kaelin moved to Michigan in 2018 and is no stranger to stargazing in the Keweenaw Peninsula. She’s published several books on chasing the lights and launched the Facebook group Michigan Aurora Chasers in 2021 – attracting over 127K members who share updates on northern lights viewability. Take her word for it – the Keweenaw is an excellent place to see aurora borealis.

Lake Superior creates a wide open canvas for uninterrupted views of the aurora borealis. 

Step 1: Get Your Tool Kit Ready

“Chasing the Northern Lights is an exciting and inspiring experience, but this natural phenomenon is known for being elusive and difficult to catch. If you want to catch a display, it helps to use a combination of tools, including a light pollution map, a weather forecast map, and a map for potential Aurora activity.

Fortunately, the Keweenaw Peninsula is known for its pristine wilderness, and you won’t have to go far to find dark skies. You can learn to locate the darkest skies near you at: https://lightpollutionmap.info. We recommend using trusted apps and referring to the info buttons, as you’re learning the game. The most trusted app in Aurora Chasing is SpaceWeatherLive. A good cloud cover app is Windy, although cloud cover forecasts vary. The best information on where clouds are moving will come from real-time satellite radar.”

Quick Takeaways:

Download SpaceWeatherLive, check for clouds on Windy, and pick your dark sky destination (Keweenaw Dark Sky Park or otherwise)!

Step 2: Assess the Numbers

“It doesn’t take a lot to bring Aurora to the northernmost parts of Michigan, but conditions do need to align for the Northern Lights to extend into the U.S. The key factors to look at include the speed, density, and orientation of the solar wind, known as Bz. Solar wind speeds would ideally be 450 km/s or higher. Higher density is better, and anything below 10 is considered low density, but that’s not a dealbreaker. The Bz would ideally be -5 or lower. The Bz component is often referred to as the gatekeeper — it changes quickly, and it can make or break a night of Aurora viewing. As long as the Bz component is bouncing between negative and positive numbers — oscillating back and forth between southward to northward orientation — you still have a chance. When you see a deeply southward Bz with numbers like -10 or -15, you might witness an awe-inspiring display!

Many apps you’ll find will give you the Kp, a measure of the average strength of Aurora activity on a scale of 0-9, with 9 being the strongest. While this number is easy to use, keep in mind it is a three-hour average of activity measured around the planet. It can be useful for watching trends, but it can also be misleading by telling you how strong Aurora was in the past. On this scale, Kp4 is easily strong enough for Aurora to reach Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and at Kp3 Aurora may be visible low on the northern horizon. ”

Quick Takeaways:

Check your space weather apps for a minimum of Kp4 and a Bz -5 (or lower) for increased odds of seeing the Northern Lights in that moment!

Lighthouses, like here at McLain, can provide an outlet for creative photography excursions! (Photo: Sarah Magnuson)

Step 3: Look to the Sky

“Even if the data looks promising in your app, keep in mind there could be delays as these measurements of the solar wind conditions reach Earth’s atmosphere. Then there are many more factors to consider, as you try to catch a display. Ideally, you’ll want crystal clear skies, but a few intermittent clouds won’t put an end to the show. If you’re near the lakeshore, mist or fog could play a role in obscuring the view. When wildfire smoke drifts through the region, that can also be an obstacle to viewing. Northern Lights occur at very high altitudes, so you’ll want to have a clear view of the stars to be sure you have a clear view to the outer reaches of Earth’s atmosphere.

One bright streetlamp can make it difficult to view the Aurora. So, if you are staying in a hotel or lodge, turn off the lights where you can, and find the darkest area you have access to, with an open view of the northern horizon. It may help to drive a few miles outside of the city lights, to get a darker view of the night sky. Then be sure to let your eyes acclimate to the night.

Give it time. The most brilliant parts of an Aurora display often happen in short bursts, so patience is key. If you really want to catch an Aurora, try to devote two to three hours to observing the night sky. When in doubt, point your camera or phone camera low to the northern horizon and take a test photo. Cameras can detect all light and color in the night sky, whereas our human eyes have limitations in the dark. So, the camera may spot the Aurora before you can see that it’s present.”

Quick Takeaways:

Seek out the clearest open skies in your area when you're ready to head out, and hit all the lights for the darkest viewing. Patience is your best tool!

Step 4: Pick A Viewing Location

“If you’re lucky enough to catch a display, you can enjoy the view from many picturesque areas of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Any beach with a view of the north will give you an awesome viewing experience. You can also check out Esrey Park, Hunter’s Point Park, Brockway Mountain Drive or the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.”

Quick Takeaways:

Lake Superior shoreline spots and the high points within the KDSP give the most open skies, but don’t miss out on photo opportunities with the Quincy Mine, Champion Mine, or other historical landmarks! Be sure to scout out these locations before nightfall - assessing landscape, groundcover, and ideal places to set up your spot. In the dark, it’s easy to find a tripping hazard in an unfamiliar location.

The Quincy Mine strikes quite the post during Northern Lights showings. (Photo: Morgan Ruohonen)

Step 5: Prep the Supplies

“Bring everything you need to be comfortable for long hours outside at night. Put on your warmest outerwear and dress warmer than you think you’ll need to, bringing hand and foot-warmers if desired. Pack water, caffeinated beverages and snacks to get you through the night You’ll also want to bring a headlamp or a flashlight with a red-light option — the red lights let you sustain your night vision while also providing extra illumination as needed.”

Quick Takeaways:

Dress for the weather (and then some!), bring snacks and refreshments, flashlight (red light if possible), and phone/camera!

Step 6: Get Camera Ready

“Most modern cell phones are optimized for low-light photography. You can put your phone on night mode and hold it still to take a long exposure photograph. If you learn your camera settings, you can also use manual mode on some cell phones to set up the perfect photograph. For those who are hoping to take an excellent photograph of the Aurora, you’re going to want a tripod, regardless of whether you are using a DSLR camera or a phone camera. This will help you ensure your photos are in focus.”

Quick Takeaways:

Use your phone’s low-light or night photo options! Have a DSLR or mirrorless camera? Long exposures with wide apertures. If your camera allows for it, use a delayed/remote shutter or turn off your shutter sound to reduce camera movement. Keep it steady with a tripod or find a sturdy spot in the landscape to prop up your devices.

Step 7: Plan For Round 2

“The Keweenaw Peninsula is an excellent location for chasing the Aurora, not only because of its truly dark skies but also because of its location on the northern tip of the Michigan mainland. It’s possible to see Aurora in Michigan throughout the year, but anyone traveling to see the Aurora should take into consideration weather factors, such as average monthly cloud cover and winter storms. The peak season for Northern Lights falls between September and April every year, when we have more hours of darkness to enjoy the Aurora’s glow.

The timing of the next fantastic display depends on what is happening on the surface of our sun, where solar activity creates the solar wind that brings us a strong Aurora. We can only truly know what this solar activity will bring about three days in advance. Any forecasts you see that go beyond that three-day period are usually based on historical data.

You can get an early heads up to Aurora activity by following sources like SolarHam.net and their Facebook page, or social media groups like the Michigan Aurora Chasers. The moderators know what to look for, and they’ll analyze solar activity to tell viewers what they can expect. The Michigan Aurora Chasers will also post live sightings in their Facebook Group, telling you exactly when and where Aurora are present. Our group has been so successful, we’ve launched a new website that can teach anyone how to get started: MichiganAuroraChasers.com

You can also learn the ropes of Aurora Chasing in my book, “Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-latitudes.” The book includes introductions to different forecasting methods, inspiration for choosing viewing locations, tools you can use in the field, and much more. We hope you are successful in your quest to catch this rare natural phenomenon. Good luck on the Aurora Chasing trail!”

Quick Takeaways:

Plan an aurora-chasing Keweenaw adventure during September through April to take advantage of the long nights. Join communities like Michigan Aurora Chasers for crowd sourced sightings, information sharing, and data interpretation. Use resource material like “Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-latitudes” to hone your skills for on-the-fly aurora hunting!

Bonus Tips:

For more dark sky enrichment, attend the annual Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival in April at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Follow Visit Keweenaw and local Keweenaw photographers like Chris Guibert, Steve Brimm, Nate Bett, and Thomas Oliver for updates and inspiration!

Want to share your own Northern Lights photos and possibly be featured in our marketing and blogs? Upload your best snaps here!

There’s an unforgettable adventure under the shimmering skies, and a wide welcoming community of fellow stargazers in the Keweenaw and abroad to lean on! The most important step? Just get outside and look up, the Universe is waiting!