An Empowered Guide to Viewing Locations

Catch the Aurora Close to Home

So, you want to see the Aurora! The first thing you might ask is “Where should I go?”

Myself, I’m a firm believer that if you learn the game of chasing, you can see the Northern Lights anywhere, even right in your backyard or a nearby park. At least for those who live in the middle and northern latitudes! If you decide to travel in pursuit of the Aurora, though, there’s a lot to consider.

After hearing many incredible and sometimes awful stories of chasing gone wrong, I decided to create a guide that can help anyone decide where to view the Aurora. This guide is researched, detailed, and divided into sections based on what you need to know. It includes tools and techniques you can use anywhere in the world, as well as specific curated lists of locations by state, region or country. 

This guide draws upon over 10 years of experience chasing the Northern Lights, experiences of both success and failure, and wisdom gained from watching harrowing situations play out. It includes some hypothetical scenarios that, I hope, will help you avoid common pitfalls, to create both a safe and enjoyable journey. It’s a positive piece designed to empower Aurora Chasers everywhere, whether you are a beginner or more advanced. 

This new guide builds upon one idea, a concept that I created myself. I’m introducing this concept to the community I lead, and hoping the principle catches on — or at least the compassion behind it. Read on to find out why I chose the title, “An Empowered Guide to Viewing Locations.”

Our goal is to empower people to find their own viewing locations so they can become better chasers, and to keep exact locations or park names off of public forums, to protect wildlife, vegetation, property, and humans. 

The guide centers on empowerment — not just uttering one park name to another person, but truly helping them to learn the game and be successful. Empowering others is a value I live by, and the goal of empowerment is one I’ll be touting in the state of Michigan, where I live, work and chase. Without prolonging its introduction, here is the concept.

Enter “The Empowerment Principle.” 

Our goal is to empower people to find their own viewing locations so they can become better chasers, and to keep exact locations or park names off of public forums, to protect wildlife, vegetation, property, and humans. In countless ways, chasing in small, sustainable groups reduces damage and risk.

If we’re going to empower others to learn how to become good Aurora Chasers, we need to hold “respect” above all other things. As people who admire and observe the wonders of the night sky, we as Aurora Chasers need to create a stronger and more informed community. This means helping each other to stay safe, be informed, know our limits — and hopefully catch the elusive Aurora! It also means respecting one another and everything around us, from the land and the wildlife to the people who call dark sky places home. 

Even the most experienced Aurora Chasers had to start somewhere. If you’re anything like me, you were able to achieve your dream of catching Northern Lights because of the kindness and guidance of the people who helped you. Providing this free guide is my way of paying forward that kindness, to help those who are just getting started. 

You’re welcome to pay it forward, too! Feel free to share this guide with others simply by copying and pasting the link. 

View: An Empowered Guide to viewing locations 

More Advice for Aurora Chasing

The guide is “fresh off the press,” written after the historic G5 Storm of May 10, 2024. I plan to make updates and adjustments as needed, and sustain the guide as a living document. I hope this guide empowers you to join us in keeping this pastime sustainable. I hope it encourages you to empower others. 

Most of all, I hope it helps you find unique viewing locations, where you can have the experience of your life! Drop by the link below anytime you need to decide where to chase Aurora. 

I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to Gary Syrba of Gary Syrba Photography, who contributed the featured image on this blog. He volunteers as a Group Expert in the Michigan Aurora Chasers. Check out his work: https://garysyrba.shootshareprint.com/

Want to find more tools and techniques? Visit my Aurora website: KaelinArt.com/Aurora