Awesome Aurora Events for Peak Season!

Are you ready for more Northern Lights? The month of September brings with it the peak season of Aurora Chasing, which runs from September to April every year. In time for a new season, our leaders of the Michigan Aurora Chasers are appearing at several exciting events. You’re invited to join in!

Did you miss the Annual Michigan Aurora Chasers Workshop? Good news!
Our annual workshop has limited space, and we regret we can’t let everyone attend, but… We’ll be teaching techniques for Aurora Forecasting and Aurora Photography at all of the following events, coming this fall!

Come on out and immerse yourself in the night sky.

First-Ever Great Lakes Aurora & Dark-Sky Jamboree

Join us for the inaugural Great Lakes Aurora Dark Sky Jamboree (GLAD Jam)— a four-day celebration of stargazing, science, creativity, and community in one of the best dark sky destinations in the Midwest, presented by Visit Keweenaw.

From Northern Lights viewing to immersive workshops, observatory tours, and artistic storytelling, GLAD Jam is your invitation to connect with the cosmos like never before. Whether you’re a seasoned aurora chaser, casual stargazer, passionate astrophotographer, or just curious about the universe, GLAD Jam welcomes all who dream under the stars.

Twilight Yoga • Night Hikes • Observatory Tours • A Dinner Boat Cruise • Creative Light Painting • Stargazing • Deep-Sky Objects • Aurora Chasing • Milky Way Viewing • Bird Migrations • Telescopes • Bonfires • Great Lakes • Astrophotography • Cosmic Conversation

Great Lakes Aurora & Dark-Sky Jamboree (GLAD Jam)
Date: September 11-14, 2025
Location: Houghton, Michigan
Admission: $100, includes meal and reception; $15 for students
Register by Sept. 1: https://www.visitkeweenaw.com/glad-jam/
Enjoy many free events as part of the jamboree!

Featuring Speakers:

• Keynote Speaker Melissa F. Kaelin, Founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers
• Patrick Grubba, Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin & Volunteer Astronomer at Headlands International Dark Sky Park
• Kevin Clark, Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin
• Many more!
• Guided Aurora Chases on Friday and Saturday night!

RSVP link on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1651859142125544

Stargazers’ Camp Event

Friends of the Ocqueoc Outdoor Center in Partnership with the Presque Isle District Library: A Fundraiser

You’re invited to participate in a premiere Dark Sky & Stargazers’ Camping Event at the Ocqueoc Outdoor Center in Millersburg, Michigan. This special one-night event will be held during the New Moon phase when the skies are the darkest and the viewing opportunities are optimal.

Hosted as a fund-raiser by the Friends of the Ocqueoc Outdoor Center and in partnership with the Presque Isle District Library, families are encouraged to attend, or you can come solo. A welcome reception and check-in will begin at 3:00pm. A campers’ communal fire, key presentations, guided night viewing, and pre-positioned telescopes for detailed viewing, makes this a special event for all ages.

Pick your site and set up your tent. If you don’t have a tent, you’re welcome to use the bunkhouse. Later, we’ll gather together and get ready for an evening and a night under the stars at the historic Ocqueoc Outdoor Center nestled along the Ocqueoc Lake and river. Dinner and a following morning breakfast are included…and even s’mores around the campfire.

Stargazers’ Camp Event
Date: 3pm, Saturday, September 20, 2025 to Noon, Sunday, September 21, 2025
Location: Ocqueoc Outdoor Center, Millersburg, MI
Admission: $25/person or $75/family
Register: https://ocqueocoutdoorcenter.wpcomstaging.com/events/
Registration includes dinner and a Stargazers’ Breakfast, your campsite, and a one-night event 3pm, Saturday, September 20 to Noon, Sunday, September 21, 2025, with guided Aurora Chase. Please bring your tent and camping gear.

Presenters and Guided Viewing from:

• Melissa Kaelin, Founder of Michigan Aurora Chasers and author of “Beyond the 45th Parallel,” Presenting Aurora Chasing, Legends & Mythology
• Patrick Grubba, Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin & Volunteer Astronomer at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, Basic Astronomy 101

RSVP link on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1359913071788695

Aurora Summit: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science & Photography of the Aurora

Featuring Keynote Speaker Dan Zafra in 2025, the annual Aurora Summit brings Northern Lights enthusiasts together for a conference in the U.S. Our sincere thanks to Dan Zafra for sharing his stunning photography!

Open to all who enjoy the Northern Lights, the event offers presentations about the wonders of the night sky, ranging from photography, astronomy and space weather, to art, history, culture and mythology. The weekend includes hand-on demonstrations and opportunities to master night sky photography, as well as scientist and author talks, book signings, and a live Aurora Chase on Saturday night. Enjoy trivia, swag, and raffle prizes!

Aurora Summit 25: Featuring Keynote Speaker Dan Zafra
Date: November 7-9, 2025
Location: Legendary Waters Resort & Casino: Event Center, Red Cliff, Wisconsin, USA
Full Admission: $339, including all meals
Register by Oct. 1: TheAuroraSummit.com
Pre-conference Program: Don’t forget the optional, add-on AS25 Photography Bootcamp. Led by 2024 Milky Way Photographer of the Year Marc Rassel, this bootcamp is designed for beginners and featuries training in time-lapse image capture and editing!
Many lakeshore hotel options are available and you can reserve your lodging with the help of the Guide.

Featuring dozens of speakers, including Melissa F. Kaelin, Founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, as well as many Michigan Aurora Chasers Group Experts!

• Keynote Speaker Dan Zafra, Creator of Capture the Atlas
• “From Auroras to Meteors: Capturing the Night’s Rarest Spectacles,” with Jeff Pfaller (B)
• Capturing aurora on camera around the world, with Dixie J. Burbank (I)
• “From Scottish Kilts to Torches & Valhalla: Aurora in Legend,” with Melissa F. Kaelin (B)
• “Scouting Locations in a Life-Changing Pursuit,” with Zenderfull, aka Samer Hobeika (B)
• “Stars in My Eyes: Composing and Shooting Powerful Aurora Photos,” with Aubrieta Hope (A)
• “Space Weather Forecasting 101: How the Sun and Its Phenomena Lead to Aurora and Affect Our Daily Lives,” with Steve Luther (B)
• “Shooting and Processing Aurora Time-lapse”, with Marc Rassel (A)
• “What is an Auroral Substorm & How Can You Forecast One?”, with Vincent Ledvina (I)
• “Dancing Lights and Chasing Dreams: Canadian Stories and Perspectives Under the Aurora”, with C.K. Nights (A)
• History of Solar Storms & Solar Cycle 25, Featuring Bob King, Author of “Magnificent Aurora: Your complete guide to nature’s greatest light show”
• “Aurora Tourism: The North’s Most Unique Lights-Chasing Experiences,” Featuring Stephanie Vermillion, Author of “100 Nights of a Lifetime” from National Geographic
• Panel Discussion: Aurora Chasing — Ask a group of acclaimed panelists all of your Aurora Chasing questions, from the science and forecasting to photography, travel and and Northern Lights Viewing
• Panel Discussion: “Life Under the Lights” — Listen to life-changing stories and personal accounts of the Aurora, witnessing record-breaking storms, the motions involved in catching the Northern Lights, and how it has changed these panelists from the inside, out.
• And more!

RSVP link on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1061054645498638

Wishing you an amazing peak season!

We are optimistic that the fall, winter and early spring will bring more opportunities to view the Northern Lights across the state of Michigan! You can always sign up for our free alerts on our website, or get the latest from the Michigan Aurora Chasers (including alerts) using our Quick Links.

Wishing you many clear nights and dancing skies!!

— The Michigan Aurora Chasers