WRITTEN BY KATIE SMITH
One of the best things about Maine in the winter? It’s the perfect time to view the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights — the meeting of solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field.
With its low light pollution, Aroostook County has one of the darkest skies in the country and is the best place to view the northern lights. You won’t want to miss Maine’s own stunning light show whether you’re an occasional observer of the stars or an astrology fanatic, it doesn’t get much better than Aroostook County if you want to see a breathtaking night sky.
We’re heading into the perfect time for the best view of the stars, so forget about what’s on television and put down your phone. You might want to grab a coat though. But once you see the colors swirl and dance through the sky, changing from faint to vivid greens and blues to red and pink, you won’t be thinking about the temperature. Or anything else for that matter.
“Aurora or Northern Lights as they are often called, are best visible in dark skies,” said Shawn Laatsch, director of the Versant Power Astronomy Center at the University of Maine. “And the closer one is to the poles, typically the better the view. This is because the particles released in solar flares that cause them are attracted to Earth’s magnetic poles. Maine being as far north as we are often gets good views of these spectacular celestial phenomena.”
Northern Lights can typically be seen in Maine from late September to March, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. For the best views, Laatsch says you want to find the darkest skies you can, and make sure there are no obstructions that will get in the way of the magnificent sky. Of course, be safe, make sure you aren’t trespassing, and that you know the area somewhat to avoid any accidents since you’ll likely be there in pretty dark conditions. And for the best showing, Shawn suggests observing the Northern Lights on nights near the New Moon where the moon’s light won’t interfere.
“Typically we get Aurora 18 to 36 hours after a large solar storm as that is the time it takes for the particles to reach us from the Sun,” Laatsch said. “A great source of information about solar storms and possible visibility is spaceweather.com. The site can aid you in planning to observe the best sky. Just be sure to look for the Current Auroral Oval section. If you see it extending into Maine, then there is a good chance you might be able to see them.”
Viewing the Northern Lights doesn’t pose any kind of risk to your health or eyesight, so viewing them without eye protection is fine, however you may want to pack some binoculars to get a better view. Don’t forget to snap some pictures. Phone cameras are more sensitive to light than the human eye so capturing a few shots on camera will really make the Northern Lights pop.
