The best places to see the northern lights

The best places to see the northern lights are Alaska and northern Canada, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. During periods of particularly active solar flares, the lights can be seen in Scotland and northern England.

Winter is usually the best time to see the northern lights, due to lower levels of light pollution. September, October, March, and April are some of the best months to view the aurora borealis. Agencies such as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issue aurora alerts when the displays are expected to be very impressive.