Presenting the Live Chase!
Our #LiveChase events are announced on short notice, as Group Experts and Admins monitor conditions to take note of likely Aurora Activity after nightfall in the Great Lakes region. These events are announced in the Facebook Group on the day of the event, and sometimes on Instagram by @mfkaelin or @MiAuroraChasers.
The Live Chase takes a lot of energy, focus, driving and sleep-deprivation for our team. We welcome more of our badge-holders to lead a Live Chase, but it is completely up to the individual to decide when they can host a chase.
Know that these events don’t happen often! When you see a Live Chase, it’s best to pursue it now. It could be months or years before you get another chance to chase the Aurora with one of our guides!
Need a Short Link? TinyURL.com/MACLiveChase
Know Before You Go
Before attending a guided Live Chase event, please review the information here, as well as common questions:
- Learn Night Sky Etiquette:
https://michiganaurorachasers.com/guides/etiquette/ - Get Answers:
Frequently Asked Questions - Keep Reading for What to Bring
We encourage you to arrive on time, so you can find your guide in daylight, have plenty of time to set up your cameras, and enjoy a safe introduction to the location. While we hope to capture the Aurora, it is never guaranteed.
Bring a camera and tripod, if you like, as well as warm clothing and outdoor gear, any snacks or beverages you may need, and a lot of patience. If you come with an adventurous spirit, you are sure to have a great time!
Out in the field, guides and participants may have limited cell service. Once a Live Chase starts, our guides become very busy, and they may not be able to monitor discussions threads or answer questions. If you have an urgent question, try to contact your guide directly using Messenger, or reach out to an Admin in the Michigan Aurora Chasers Facebook Group.
If you have a question about a specific Live Chase, please look for the thread posted by your Guide. You will find it inside the Facebook Group or Event.
We’ll make an effort to post a Facebook Event corresponding to each new Live Chase. Members of the group can find all of our events using the link and screenshot below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/michiganaurorachasers/events
We wish you a fun and successful chase!
About the Live Chase: When Stars Align
Started in our group on April 1, 2021, the #LiveChase is an event hosted by vetted Admins and Group Experts, where we lead you to the Northern Lights. We simply choose a large, sustainable and safe location where people can meet up that will get you into fairly dark skies and far enough north to catch the Aurora.
Good News! We have realized the #LiveChase is part of what makes our community special. So, we have decided to try to hold these more often!
It’s still not feasible every week though. The first ingredient we need is highly likely Aurora that expands southward to the 45th Parallel and beyond! Not only is this extremely difficult to predict, but it all depends on the solar wind present in our galaxy, among many other conditions that need to align.
Want to join a Live Chase? Here’s How
Keep tabs on our announcements, have a bag packed, think ahead to manage your schedule, and be ready to go at a moment’s notice!
- Watch for Announcements — Check the Featured tab, our Events tab and Instagram
- Comment or RSVP to Stay Informed — Turning on all Notifications for that post might help
- Read up on Night Sky Etiquette — Part of chasing Aurora is knowing how to treat others in the dark. Take a few minutes to read up on how to be a better chaser! See Night Sky Etiquette.
- Meet us on location before the sun sets — This is the safest way for you to see where you’ll be and how to navigate the terrain during the chase itself
- Bring everything you need — Bring cameras, extra batteries, a headlamp with a red option or flashlight, warm clothing, a lawn chair, and essentials such as water and snacks
- Ask us any questions you have! Our events at the Live Chase itself are sometimes pretty laid back. We’ll confidently be able to tell you what to expect in terms of Aurora, and ideally, we will be able to mingle and answer questions as we wait for the Northern Lights to appear.
- Get home safely — Often we try to stay as late as we can to enjoy the whole display and that could mean being outside until dawn! So, just know your limits, have a back-plan for lodging or sleep, and join us to the extent you are comfortable staying out.
Nature does not believe in the five-day work week. The next Live Chase could happen on a weeknight, it might be hosted by any of our Group Experts, and it could be hosted anywhere in the state — often on a week night!
These events are announced on short notice, to give you the best chances of catching Aurora. We simply can’t know the weather on Earth and in Space more than 3 days in advance. Because these events are announced so close to chase times, we often rely on the group as the sole place we spread the word.
We don’t really hold sign-ups or registration, as these events are usually free, and you may not even see a place to RSVP.
To be sure you know about a Live Chase, please join our group and regularly check out Featured/Announcements under the drop-down menu at the top of the group. This is the quickest place we have to share updates!
Open the Featured section to reveal the latest Featured/Announcements, as shown below, which may require clicking the drop-down arrow:
Past Live Chases
The #LiveChase tradition began during our second year as a group, with inspiration, encouragement and leadership from Admin Nate Stovall. We have since held the Live Chase in as many regions of the state as we can reach.
The Statewide Live Chase held on June 10, 2024 with many locations to choose from was a one-time celebration of our achievement reaching 100,000 Michigan Aurora Chasers. Usually, only one Live Chase is held at a time.
2025
- “Northern Lights Dance Nationwide #LiveChase”, Pinckney Recreation Area, Pinckney, Michigan, November 12, 2025, Hosted by Melissa F. Kaelin
- Mackinaw City Area Live Chase, Wilderness State Park, September 1, 2025, Hosted by Guide Patrick Grubba
- “Equinox Vibes: Roll the Dice #LiveChase,” March 26, 2025, Brighton, Michigan, Hosted by Guide Melissa F. Kaelin
2024
- October 10-11, 2024, Grindstone City, Michigan, Hosted by Guides Nate Stovall, Melissa F. Kaelin and Pandora Biskner
- September 12-13, 2024
- Northern Version: Sturgeon Bay, Michigan, Hosted by Guide Patrick Grubba, with Guides Nate Stovall and Lisa Parrish
- Southeast Version: Low Latitude Chase, Brighton, Michigan, Guide Melissa F. Kaelin
- Southwest Version: Low Latitude Chase, St. Joseph, Michigan, Guide Kris Knutson
- August 11-12, 2024, Glen Haven, Michigan, Hosted by Melissa Kaelin; Guides Kris Knutson, Christina Cantu Sharp, and Ethan Hohnke
- July 30-31, 2024, Cross Village, Michigan, Guides Patrick Grubba and Christina Cantu Sharp
- June 10, 2024, Statewide Live Chase Celebrating 100K
- Mackinac City, Guide Patrick Grubba
- Little Sable Point Lighthouse, Pentwater, MI, Guide Melissa Kaelin
- Flat Rock, Port Austin, Guide Nate Stovall
- Port Austin, Guide Pandora Biskner!
- Glen Haven Beach, Guide Christina Cantu Sharp
- Copper Harbor, Michigan, Guide Kris Knutson
- Bay City State Park, Guides Christina Wiggins and Ryan Jake Jakubowski
- May 10, 2024, Dexter, Michigan, Guide Melissa Kaelin
2023
- September 18, 2023, Tawas City, Guide Melissa Kaelin
- September 13, 2023, Wilderness State Park Dark Sky Area, Guide Patrick Grubba
2022
- August 17, 2022, St. Johns, Michigan, Guide Melissa Kaelin
- July 22, 2022, Au Train, Michigan, Guides Nate Stovall, Melissa Kaelin and Chase Nawrocki
- June 14, 2022, Oak Beach, Port Austin, Guide Nate Stovall
- April 1, 2022, West Side Live Chase, Glen Haven, MI, Guide Melissa Kaelin
- April 1, 2022, East Side Live Chase, Port Austin, MI, Guide Nate Stovall
FAQ
- When will the next Live Chase be held?
Watch the group to find out! Unfortunately, we can’t announce the next Live Chase very far in advance, because Aurora can only be predicted about 3 days in advance. Northern Lights are considered rare in Michigan, and we hold a Live Chase when there is an outstanding chance of helping you view the Aurora, on nights when we are able to juggle our own responsibilities. In Michigan and the mid-latitudes, there are never any guarantees. - What will the event include?
Our goal on a Live Chase is to lead you to the Aurora, wherever we can catch it! These free events increase your chances of catching beautiful Aurora, while enjoying access to our guides for answers to all your questions on Aurora, dark skies and photography. Come as you are, but understand that nothing is provided. These are simple casual gatherings. - How can I get updates about the next Live Chase?
Watch for posts in the Facebook Group under the Featured/Announcements section pinned to the top of the group or the Events tab. We will try to put the announcements there as early as we can. You can also check the Events tab inside the group to see if you missed anything that has an Event page created. To communicate with a Guide during a Live Chase, please look for the devoted Thread inside the Facebook Group. - How soon will I know about the next Live Chase?
Be ready to go, and go far into the darkness or northern Michigan! Often, we announce these events just 6-8 hours before they begin. You need to be ready to drop everything and go. - What else do I need to know?
Check back for my guidance on these and similar events in this FAQ soon!
Michigan Aurora Chasers 