Experience Northern Lights in Michigan's UP NOW (2024)
See the Northern Lights in Marquette MI & all throughout Upper Michigan this 2024!
Last Updated: 5/5/24
THE QUICK FACTS (TLDR)
- The Upper Peninsula is Michigan’s best place for seeing the Northern Lights
- You CAN see the Aurora in the Mitten’s Lower Peninsula
- Find areas that have little to no light pollution for the best viewing chances
- Crisp, cool nights between August – April is the best viewing months for Northern Lights in Michigan
- Photograph with confidence –> Fast camera lens & tripod!
Witnessing the Northern Lights in Michigan are a spectacle that many desire too see but unfortunately never do.
The Elusive nature of this natural phenomenon is all about timing, patience, and luck.
Thankfully I’ve gathered some experience chasing the Northern Lights across the Upper Peninsula and hopefully will increase your chances of seeing them!
What are the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights aka Aurora Borealis form when electrons moving along the earth’s magnetic field, collide with air particles that combine into one of the most fantastic displays in nature.
The different colors you witness form from the various gaseous particles in the earth’s atmosphere.
The equally stunning, Southern Lights, form below the Southern Hemisphere and are known as the Aurora Australis.
Best Places to see Northern Lights in Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Michigan has a number of excellent spots to see the Northern Lights but the best spots are found way “up north” in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
You can catch the Northern Lights in other parts of Michigan but your best opportunities will be farther North
- Marquette – Wetmore Landing, Little Presque Isle, and anywhere where light is not abundant. You can definitely see them in town but out of town with more darkness will only improve your chances greatly.
- Copper Harbor – At the northernmost tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula, sits Copper Harbor. This is a very low-light pollution area and a premier spot to take in the sight.
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – For the visitors who want to make the most of their time in Pictured Rocks, try to plan for a trip when Aurora I forecasted. Not only will it be extremely dark at night you will be in one of the most beautiful places during the day.
You might be asking yourself, “Why is the UP such a good place to see the this elusive performance?”
The Upper Peninsula is favorable mainly because of it’s high latitude and limited light pollution areas.
Related Goods: The Best Winter Things To Do in MQT, MI
5 Best Places to See Northern Lights in Marquette
Here are 5 of the best places to see the Northern Lights in Marquette in 2023:
- Sugarloaf Mountain
- Wetmore Landing
- Presque Isle Park
- Hogback Mountain
- Little Presque Isle
There are plenty of other spots but this should be plenty to get your shot of the lights!
Because they are so phenomenal, witnessing them is the one of the main tourist attractions to Marquette.
These are also all amazing places to stargaze in Marquette.
POPULAR READ: Don’t Miss THE BEST WINTER ATTRACTION in the UPPER PENINSULA in 2023
Best Time of year to see Northern Lights in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
The Best time to see the Northern Lights in Michigan is between August-April.
Ideally the weather is crisp, clear, and cold with no cloud or snow activity!
If you are chasing the aurora in the winter, make sure to check out the best winter activities in Marquette
Tips for Seeing the Northern Lights in Michigan
- Geomagnetic Activity – Monitoring the strength of Aurora is based off of two Geomagnetic readings. The KP Index (1-9) & the NOAA POES Aurora Activity Level (1-10)
- Patience – One of the most overlooked aspects of chasing aurora is patience. I’ve gone out on countless nights where forecasts were solid and suddenly changed.
- Comfort – Timing the lights is usually in the late hours of the night and in cold climates. Make sure you’re comfortable and warm to enjoy this spectacle especially in the fridgid environment of the UP
- Low Light Pollution Areas – The darker the better. Areas of low light pollution will allow the stars and aurora to fully engulf the chaser. Keep heading north in Michigan
- Location – Areas of high latitude (closer to the north pole) tend to have increased chances of sightings
- Northern Lights Michigan Forecast 2023 – Continually check the radar and plan, plan, plan
Northern Lights Tonight - Resources to Monitor Tonight's Aurora Activity
Unless you are the only person in the world who goes for night walks every night on hours end and gets lucky, you’re going to need to track the Aurora activity to have a shot at witnessing it.
Here are some resources you can utilize to improve your likelihood of success:
- Tips on Viewing the Aurora
- Light Pollution Map
- Dark Site Finder
- FRIENDS! Join a group and have the head honcho keeping tabs
How to Photograph the Northern Lights
There’s nothing worse than not being ready to photograph this incredible phenomenon.
To ensure you are ready, follow these tips to maximize your chances of taking your best shot:
- Use a fast lens – Aperture of 1.8-4 is ideal but not necessary
- Wide Lens – A wide lens is preferred but like above, not needed. A wide lens will provide an easier composition choice to include foreground or any other surrounding elements
- Experiement with ISO Settings – Dependent on how fast your lens is, keep your ISO lower to limit noise introduction. A safe bet is usually between 1600-3200.
- Extend your Shutter Speed – Dependent on your ISO, and Aperture, test your shutter speed to match the shot. Usually a 15-30 seconds will give best results. Anything longer than 30 will lead to star trails
It’s most likely going to be cold when you’re photographing this amazing spectacle.
Best Places for Astrophotography in Michigan
The Northern Lights are absolutely amazing, but are always a tricky thing to plan for.
But just because you didn’t capture or see them, there’s probably a high chance you were situated for some phenomenal Astrophotography in the state.
Here are some of the best places you can go that offer some of the darkest skies in Michigan:
The Upper Peninsula – Most of the UP is very dark but use the resources above to find very dark zones.
Pictured Rocks for example can be a dramatic spot to compose a stellar astrophotography shot.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore – The skies along Lake Michigan’s Sand Dunes are some of the least polluted in the state and so good they offer night sky programs for people to revel in the beauty.
Weekly and monthly options are available to visitors!
Port Crescent State Park – Michigan has 6 Dark Sky Parks and this one has one of the most memorable landscape features at the tip of the state’s mitten.
That feature? Turnip Rock!
Headlands International Dark Sky Park – The only internationally recognized Dark Sky status Park is this Mackinaw City gem.
Explore the Best of the UP
For the adventurous who want to learn more about the best places to photograph in the UP or the things you just have to do, head over to the
🌲 Ultimate Upper Peninsula Bucket List!
Thank you for reading and hope to connect with you soon