Fun fact: the sun is constantly abuzz with activity of all sorts, and every 11 years, we here on Earth get to witness what's called the solar maximum. During this time, the 11-year solar cycle peaks, and the North and South poles essentially "switch" places - and something incredibly magical happens. The Aurora borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights, becomes visible significantly further south than usual - and this year, Indiana might just be in for the show of a lifetime. It's almost time for Northern Lights 2024 in Indiana: get all the details!
It's worth mentioning first and foremost that lights seen in Indiana won't likely be as dramatic as the ones visible in, say, Norway, but part of the aurora's mystique its it ever-changing, ever-shifting face.
In 2024, the sun will reach its 11-year maximum, enhancing aurora chances for places much further south than usual.
Officially, the "lowest visible" point of the aurora will reach as low as the 40th parallel, which, lucky for us, cuts right through Indianapolis.
Therefore, anywhere north of Indy is fair game for Northern Lights action - just find a nice, dark sky, and look north.
Auroras can be tough to time, so keeping an eye on social media and news outlets is helpful for determining the best time to go out.
As a rule of thumb, though, the best viewing is between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., local time, intensifying after 11 p.m. when they're there.
Luckily for us, Indiana's nice and mostly rural, making it pretty easy to seek out dark-sky destinations for this incredibly special space-weather event.
Some of my recommendations for awesome spots include places like Beverly Shores and Indiana Dunes National Park. Campgrounds are also excellent ideas - just make sure you're north of Indy.
The further north, the better - and the more brilliant.
When I'm chasing auroras, I like to use the Aurora Alert app to help with my forecasting; they're not paying me to say that, I just genuinely love the service. It's a must for aurora hunters everywhere!
Another incredibly helpful resource is the Space Weather Prediction Center, which offers an awesome 30-minute forecast EVERY 30 minutes, so you have the most up-to-date data.
If you're south of Indy, don't fret - you might still be able to see something, especially if you're far away from city lights and/or you have a camera capable of shooting long exposures. Sometimes, aurora are visible as far south as northern Arizona to a camera's eye - it's pretty incredible, if you ask me.
As for the big when, the solar max will max out, so to speak, in the fall - but leading up to that, keep your eye on the space weather and stay alert. You'll have lots of chances to see the lights this year leading up to - and winding down from - it.
Need more dark sky ideas? Check out Tippecanoe River State Park. Need a place to stay while you're here chasing auroras? No worries - our friends at Booking.com have an amazing array of choices! Have you ever seen the aurora borealis? Let me know and send in your photos!
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