How to Watch the Northern Lights and Spot the Autumn Star This Week

NEED TO KNOW

• As the harvest moon begins to reach its peak, the sparkly Fomalhaut (“Autumn Star”) will rise low in the southern sky on Oct. 3, along with Saturn shining nearby
• Fomalhaut is one of the brightest stars of the fall season, standing out among other constellations
• The northern lights may also make a brief appearance, as auroral activity is likely in the weeks following the equinox

Calling all stargazers and skywatchers!

With the autumn season well underway, the night sky is filled with surprises that invite us to pause and look up.

This week, in addition to the otherworldly glow surrounding the harvest moon, which reaches its peak on Oct. 6, the sparkling Formalhaut — also known as the “Autumn Star” — will make its seasonal cameo, rising low in the southern sky on Oct. 3.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for Saturn nearby!

Sitting low in the southern horizon, the Fomalhaut is one of the brightest stars of the season, standing out among the other constellations. It is the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, visible from mid-northern latitudes during the fall season.

But it doesn’t end there: the northern lights could make a brief appearance across high latitudes, if weather conditions permit. While recent solar flares won’t directly hit Earth, the weeks following the fall equinox are historically known for heightened auroral activity.

Remember, the aurora borealis (northern lights) is a result of geomagnetic storms, which occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, creating brilliant waves of light in the sky. 

This means even the smallest geomagnetic disturbance can light up the horizon with a green or purple glow, so it’s worth keeping watch if you’re in the right place at the right time.

Read on for how and when to catch a glimpse of this week’s cosmic spectacle.

When will the northern lights be visible?

The night sky in Wisconsin glows with the Northern Lights as a geomagnetic storm brings vibrant pink and green colors to a majority of the northern states.

Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty

Aurora activity could make a brief appearance tonight, Sept. 29, but conditions are expected to stay mostly quiet. There’s only a slight chance of minor solar storms before activity settles down again.

For the most accurate timing updates, check NOAA’s 3-day aurora forecast.

Where will the northern lights be visible?

Northern lights crown bursting with color, Iceland.

Arctic-Images/Getty

Your best chance to catch a glimpse of the auroras is at very high latitudes, such as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland and possibly the far north of Scotland, if the skies are clear.

The farther north you are, the better your odds of catching even a faint display!

How to watch the northern lights?

People visit St Mary’s lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, on May 10, 2024.

Ian Forsyth/Getty

Pro tip: look north! But it always boils down to how patient you are and how dark it is outside.

Don’t be discouraged if the aurora first appears as a faint, grayish glow, as it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust before the colors dance into view.

If you’re wondering whether you need equipment, or at the very least a telescope to watch the northern lights, you’re in luck, as auroras are visible to the naked eye. Still, it’s important to head somewhere with a clear, unobstructed view of the northern horizon, ideally far from light pollution.