“Seeing the Northern Lights is an Experience that is Bucket List Worthy” 

Are you seeking a view of the Northern Lights?  Do you want to see them swirl, dip, dance, dart and whirl their colorful light show across the darkness?  The northern lights, as the name tells you, are more prominent the further north you travel. This makes Roseau one of the best places in the lower 48 to sneak a peek at these dancing lights.

Best Place To See The Lights

The farm fields of Roseau County make for great hunting grounds for your next adventure to see the Northern Lights. The best place to see the northern lights is in flat areas so there won’t be trees and buildings obsuring your view. Driving out into farm country along the US and Canadian Border is perfect for gazing. Light from towns and cities can partially or completely block your view of these wonderful dancing lights, so make sure to be a few miles out of town for the best view.  

The less obvious reason why Minnesota is a great place to view the lights is more surprising. A large number of inland lakes! Unlike other places up north, Minnesota has over 10,000 lakes to boast as great viewing locations. Lake of the Woods, a shared lake between the United States and Canada offers a vast area for viewing. On a still night, it creates a mirror image for the lights to reflect off. This means that northern light chasers like you have a huge range of options to choose from! 

Northern Lights May Be Viewed During Any of the Four Minnesota Seasons

As for the best time to see the northern lights, you’ll have to become a true northerner and bundle up for a winter’s night. The short days and starry nights make northern light spotting much easier. The beauty of fresh evening snow and morning frost will be almost forgotten when you catch a view of the twinkling northern lights dancing across the star-filled sky. The lights paint a bright color across the winter night with a mysterious beauty that seems almost hypnotic. Though winter is the prime candidate for viewing seasons because of its short days, the seasons don’t truly have an impact on whether or not you can see the northern lights. For that, you’ll have to keep an eye on the weather in space. Specifically solar flares.

Thanks to Modern Technology, We Can Accurately Predict When the Northern Lights will be the Most Prominent. 

Some websites like www.spaceweather.com can tell you up to three or four days in advance! The northern lights are a stunningly beautiful experience, though taking pictures may be a bit difficult for the average person. Photographers recommend an exposure time of about 10 to 30 seconds for the best shot. The new cell phones have a setting that makes photographing easy. However, for the average smartphone user, the exposure time is capped at a few seconds. Just be sure to set the camera down to take the time and enjoy these beautiful lights at the moment.

Make your way to Roseau- Minnesota’s Winter City to discover the beauty for yourself.

Among the stars they tip toe

Careful not to wake the moon

Silently in brilliant colors

Reaching Stretching- across the northern sky.

On a clear night

They come out to play

Making a path across the white Milky Way

If one could capture their beauty

And hold for ransom it’s future to foretell

Would one’s life forever be changed?

Or changed forever be a life?

Kathy Snow

Photos shared by Angie Gregerson, Zack Manka, Kristi Bjerk taken September 1, 2022