Northern Lights Michigan: Where and When to See Michigan’s Northern Lights in 2023

Michigan Northern Lights Viewing: When and Where to See the Northern Lights in Michigan

Hoping to take a peek at the elusive Northern Lights in Michigan this week?

If so, keep reading.

For dedicated night sky watchers (and the rest of us, too), there’s nothing more exciting than the chance to take a peek at the elusive Northern Lights in Michigan. The dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis are a natural phenomenon that everyone should witness at least once in their lifetime.

UPDATE: The northern lights forecast is in, and the Aurora Borealis should be visible in Michigan on Monday night, September 17, 2023. Chances for northern lights throughout the state, including southern Michigan are good.

lights could be visible
lights may be visible
monday nights

When the news hits that Michigan’s Aurora Borealis will be visible, it’s time to find out how and where to see this amazing celestial event. Seeing the Michigan sky light up with yellows, blues, greens and violets is an unforgettable outdoor adventure you won’t want to miss.

If you’re planning your trip to see the Aurora Borealis in Michigan’s skies, you’ll want to be sure to check the 30minute Forecast from the Space Weather Prediction Center. Michigan Technological University also has a information on Northern Lights Forecasting.

Read on to discover the best places to see the Northern Lights and use our map (at the bottom of this page) to help plan your best viewing.

Tips for Viewing the Michigan Northern Lights

Watching the Northern Lights in Michigan light up the sky is simply one of the most memory-making things to do in the months between August and April.

Thanks to miles of quiet, undeveloped Great Lakes shoreline and endless acres of pine and hardwood forests, Michigan is one of the best spots in the northern hemisphere to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.

Michigan is home to six state-designated dark sky preserves (including one internationally-designated preserve) and many other places that give you the opportunity to see the Northern Lights clearly and free of artificial light. The lights may be visible in other places throughout the state, but dark sky parks provide your opportunity for unfettered viewing.

From the south shore of Lake Superior and Drummond Island in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Michigan’s Thumb region, there are amazing places to enjoy the Aurora Borealis all over Michigan.

With endless acres of open wilderness, free from artificial light, Michigan is one the best places in the country to see the northern lights.

About the Michigan Northern Lights

Maybe you’ve always associated the northern and southern lights with Norway or Canada. However, you dont need to go that far to watch the glorious displays right here in Michigan.

The magical beauty of the lights dancing across the galaxy is the stuff of legend. The lights cast their rippling shades of purple, blue, and green across the sky over Michigan soil (and water) every year and it is a simply fabulous sight.

Beginning in ancient times, the unexplained mysteries of these astral projections have been culturally significant. According to the Northern Lights Center, in medieval times, occurrences of auroral displays were seen as harbingers of war or famine; and the Menominee Indians of Wisconsin believed that the lights indicated the location of Manabai’wok (giants), who were the spirits of great hunters and fishermen.

Michigan offers some of the best viewing of the northern lights, and one of the best ways to experience the wonder of Michigan is seeing the northern lights over one of the Great Lakes like Lake Superior, Lake Michigan or Lake Huron.

What are the Northern Lights?

Understanding the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights, scientifically called the Aurora Borealis, are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun entering the earth’s atmosphere.

They’re caused by the sun’s solar flares, swept through the expanse of space by the solar wind. In the southern hemisphere, this is called the Aurora Australis, or the southern lights. From earth, we see colorful waves dancing in the sky like a magical ocean above us, but what’s really happening is a collision of electrons and atoms in the earth’s magnetic fields.

The electrons release aurorae, the light we marvel at, and while the displays are often unpredictable, they can usually be forecasted.

This means that you can roughly plan when you’ll see the lights (usually within two days), and discover the best locations for it.

When to See the Northern Lights in Michigan

October, November, and April are the peak months for viewing the Northern Lights, but they flare to life continuously between the months of August and April.

To really nail down the day and time to look north, download an aurora activity app and check out the Space Weather Prediction Center and SpaceWeather.com. You’ll also want to pay attention to the National Weather Service predictions: cleae nights mean better visibility.

When is the Best Time of Day to See the Northern Lights in Michigan?

The best time of the day to see the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis) depends on the strength and location of the geomagnetic storm that is bringing about the phenomenon.

While some claim times between 9 p.m. to around midnight, or 12 a.m., it is best to check with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northern Lights Aurora Borealis Forecaster for a specific time.

Using this tool will help you plan the best time to catch the northern lights in all their spectral glory.

Why Michigan is the Perfect Spot to See the Northern Lights

The best place to see the northern lights is any destination in the “auroral zone,” the area within an approximately 1,550-mile radius of the North Pole, according to Space.com.

Although the aurora most frequently occurs in this zone, during stronger solar storms, the northern lights phenomenon can be seen from points farther south, such as Michigan.

Tips for Seeing the Northern Lights in Michigan

As you map out your space-viewing adventure, you’ll need to know where to go. If you’re searching “where to see the Northern Lights near me”, you can also use our map at the bottom of this page. Our optimal viewing spots for the aurora borealis below also share tips for extended viewing trips.

• To find the best places to viewing, start by looking for low-light areas as far north as you can get.

• If you’re in a big city, the urban light pollution will make it impossible to catch a glimpse of the natural phenomenon you’re chasing, due to light pollution.

• While it’s possible to do a day trip (or maybe a night trip), a longer trip might be a better idea.

Where to See the Northern Lights in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula

Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City
15675 Headlands Rd, Mackinaw City, MI 49701

This 550-acre county park in Emmett County offers over two miles of undeveloped Lake Michigan shoreline south and west of McGulpin Point Light in the Straits of Mackinac. As one of the first 10 International Dark Sky Parks in the entre world, it is an excellent place for star gazing and watching the magic of northern Michigan’s night sky.

This is a great spot for camping, or if you plan ahead, reserve one of the two rentals homes on the property. You can learn more in our complete guide to Headlands International Dark Sky Park. Visit the Headlands Dark Sky Park learn more about the night sky and the aurora borealis. It’s not easy to forecast when the lights will appear, but the park’s “Clear Sky” chart may help you predict when is the best time to view the Northern Lights.

Wilderness State Park
903 Wilderness Park Dr, Carp Lake, MI 49718

You’ll find this sprawling Michigan state park about five miles west of Mackinaw City. The park stretches across an area of 10,512 acres, and features a stunning 26 mile stretch of coastline, as well as diverse wooded hills and valleys, wetlands, camping grounds, and an abundance of walking trails. That makes it a erfect spot ot try and catch a glipse of the light show!

Mackinac Bridge

If driving over the majestic Mackinac Bridge isn’t enough, watching the sky light up with curtains of shimmering color adds a whole new level to the experience.

Whether you make a trip of it by touring Mackinaw City or journeying through Mackinac Island, this is the perfect area to enjoy the days while waiting for the night to usher the lights across the horizon.

Port Crescent State Park
1775 Port Austin Rd, Port Austin, MI 48467

Northern Lights in the lower peninsula of Michigan aren’t as common as they are in the upper peninsula, but don’t underestimate what you’ll find in the skies at Port Crescent State Park. Port Crescent in located between the resorts towns of Caseville and Port Austin.

The earth’s magnetic field may be difficult to predict, but when it releases the Northern Lights, it’s like an extraordinary dance between the night sky and these intruding, though welcome, solar flares.

The Dark Sky Park at Port Crescent State Park has everything you’ll need for a beautiful northern lights trip – a campground far from light pollution; three miles of beach on Lake Huron; and a dark sky preserve for great northern lights conditions (including a viewing platform for stargazing.)

Where to See the Northern Lights in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is one of the best places in the state to see the northern lights. Here are a few places to consider for your northern light hunting.

The Keweenaw Peninsula- Copper Harbor and Eagle Harbor

There are several places with reported Aurora Borealis sightings in the Copper Harbor area. It’s remote in this part of the upper peninsula, and you can get a full, unobstructed view of the sky from the shoreline. Brockway Mountain Drive and Esrey Park are great places to begin.

Between Eagle Harbor and Eagle River, you’ll find places like Great Sand Bay, a wide-open, low light coastline free from artificial light. Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor is also a great place to viewing, as well as taking in the spectacular fall colors.

Porcupine Mountains

This 6000-acre mountain range on the shores of Lake Superior is an excellent spot to see the lights, with plenty of camping spots available at Porcupine Mountains Wildnerness State Park. The high altitude and lack of light pollution allows for panoramic views of the northern lights if they make an appearance.

Isle Royale National Park

You can’t get much more remote than this island in Lake Superior. With more than 200 square miles to explore, the skies over this island are completely free of artificial light.

Southern Shore of Lake Superior: Marquette, Skanee, AuTrain, Munising, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Whitefish Point

The southern shore of Lake Superior is one of the best spots in the continental U.S. to see the northern lights, offering an amazing viewing opportunity. When looking north over Lake Superior from any of the areas along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you can see the entire horizon and enjoy a wide view of the night sky. At our latitude, it is critical to be in a position without any obstructions, as an auroral show will often be very low on the horizon.

The national lakeshore of Pictured Rocks makes for a great northern lights location because you can see them from land or paddle out on a kayak and view them from the water. Imagine drifting through the cool, clear waves of Lake Superior and becoming part of the display as the northern lights reflect off of the water, surrounding you in dark shades of luminous green and blue?

If you go to Marquette, check out the amazing Black Rocks, also a great place to taking in the astral show!

Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Tahquamenon Falls is one of Michigan’s most-visited spots, and with good reason. It’s pure Michigan beauty at its natural best, and its practically free: all you need is a Michigan state park pass.

It’s also a great place to experience the phenomenon and capture the perfect Northern Lights photo.

Photographing the Northern Lights

Photographing the Northern Lights is one of the main reasons that many are drawn to hunt them down across northern Michigan. try these tips for catching photos of the northern lights:

• If you’re itching to capture the lights through a lens, take note of the best camera settings for the task so that you’ll be ready when they show up.
• For instance, a wide aperture and a shutter speed between 1-15 seconds will serve you well. You’ll also want to be intentional about your white balance and ISO settings.
• Learn more about photographing the northern lights here, and if you need some inspiration, check out Shawn Malone’s night photography of the northern lights in the UP.

F.A.Q. About the Northern Lights Michigan

More Cool Things to Do and See in Michigan

ABOUT THE AUTHOR-
Kyrsten Newlon is a Content Editor for mymichiganbeach.com. Growing up in Kalamazoo, she wrote and read everything she could. Now, she is a student at Grace College with Journalism and Communications majors and an English minor. She has been published by Grace College, the Winona Lake Newsletter, Input Fort Wayne, and various online blogs. Kyrsten loves raising puppies to be service dogs, spending time in coffee shops, and adventuring through Michigan.

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