Location, location, location

The Aurora Borealis is like a doughnut-shaped ring high above the earth around the north magnetic pole. It exists year round, and is visible from space. From the earth, the soft star-like aurora colours are only visible on the darkest nights.

The distance from the magnetic pole helps determine how many nights the aurora can be seen from any spot on earth. The most active part of the aurora covers most of the Northwest Territories, from the 60th parallel to the Arctic Circle and beyond. Here in the Northwest Territories, there is a 90 to 100 percent chance of seeing an aurora display when it appears on a clear night.

The height of an aurora is another important factor for visibility. A low level display, 80-200 kilometres high, can paint the Northwest Territories sky with splashes of red, white and green light. Auroras can also stretch up to 1,000 km above the earth. In the north, both these dramatic displays are right overhead. Because of the curve of the Earth, in the south, only the highest aurora displays might be visible - as a soft glow on the northern horizon.