“Recently my family and I travelled to Waconia, where the Northern Lights were predicted to be strong. After a long period of time spent seeing only a mediocre blob of light toward the north, I took a picture with my phone. The result was a nice sharp view of the northern lights not apparent to the naked eye,” said John Fogerty. The dancing and mesmerizing red, green, blue, and pink lights in the sky are called Aurora Borealis, or northern lights. The words Aurora Borealis come from the Latin root meaning “sunrise” and “to the north,” which is where the nickname northern lights came from. A common question that comes up in Minnesota is “Will I be able to see the northern lights at Voyageurs National Park?” Lola Winchell says. The answer to that question is if the hike or trip to Voyageurs National Park is timed right, there is a good chance someone can see the northern lights. However, it depends on if the particles that produce the northern lights are active. Along with that, other factors go into seeing the beautiful aurora borealis such as good clear weather, darkness, and an open horizon facing north.
The biggest key factor in being able to see the northern lights, also known as “beautiful sky lights,” says Isla Harrison, at Voyageurs National Park is making sure the particles that produce the northern lights are active. This is extremely important to check before going to look for the northern lights. If the particles are not active at all, there is almost no chance someone could see the northern lights. Northern lights are caused by particles in the sky. More specifically they come from the sun’s rays. Typically, the earth’s magnetic field does a good job of deflecting debris, particles, and rays away. Sometimes the sun’s rays get through the barrier and create a light show type illusion, that is known as the Aurora Borealis. As mentioned before, the rays that produce the northern lights have to be active, which is why the lights don’t appear all the time.
That is the biggest factor, but there is still more that goes into seeing the northern lights, such as making sure the weather is clear; if the sky isn’t clear, the northern lights won’t be visible. Another factor to take into consideration is making sure the destination that is picked to look at the northern lights is an open north-facing area. If the area where someone is trying to observe the northern lights from a point where their north-facing view is obstructed by trees or something else, it will be harder to see the northern lights. That is one of the reasons why, according to the Explore Minnesota website, Minnesota is a great place to go looking for the lights, as Minnesota has so many lakes. The lakes are open areas, therefore making it easier to see the northern lights.
The northern lights are visible all year long; the most common time of year to see them is in the winter. In the winter, there is a better chance of someone seeing the northern lights since there is a longer period of darkness each night. Even though winter is the best time of year to see the northern lights, that doesn’t mean people can’t see them any other season. When the northern lights are visible, it has little to do with the season they appear in.
“When the conditions are right, the northern lights offer an entrancing, almost magical display that fascinates all who see it—a true North Woods experience,” according to the National Park Services website. The northern lights are like dancing lights in the sky that might appear to look creamy white, green, and a pinky purple, but sometimes they may appear to be red, blue, and yellow. When looking at the northern lights, it can be extremely dim, making someone question if they are actually looking at the northern lights. Then the northern lights may disappear to come back a couple of minutes later and be brighter than ever. The northern lights go on and off within a couple of minutes. If someone were to see this, there is a very good chance that they are looking at the Northern Light, a specific kind of the northern lights. It is also important to know that sometimes the northern lights can look dim and diluted to the naked eye, but when photographed, can be vivid and bright.
If someone went out looking for the northern lights specifically at Voyageur National Park, there is a chance that they will see the northern lights, but it is also possible that the northern lights won’t be visible. That doesn’t mean that their trip is a total loss. There are tons more space and solar activities to see such as the Milky Way, shooting stars, satellites, constellations, and more. “In order to see these events you need to be alert and aware of what’s happening around you,” says Isabella Boyum. If someone were to go to Voyageurs National Park, they are bound to see something interesting or cool.
