Mid-March 2026 may offer the last, best opportunity to witness the aurora borealis this decade as a fading solar maximum meets a new moon and the spring equinox. For those living beneath — or planning to visit — the auroral oval, this might be the last time until the 2030s that all the elements align so perfectly. For those in northern U.S. states and Canada, it could be the last hurrah for hopes of lower-latitude auroras.
Northern Lights: Solar Maximum
The Northern Lights — also called the aurora borealis — occur when charged particles from the sun accelerate down Earth’s magnetic field lines and collide with molecules high in Earth’s atmosphere. That interaction produces the green and red lights. However, it’s when there are more charged particles that the aurora results. That happens when the sun is at its most active. Solar maximum — which brings a higher chance of solar storms — is thought to have occurred in late 2024, shortly after the strongest geomagnetic storm at Earth in two decades — and possibly for 500 years — according to NASA. However, the waning period after solar maximum often brings intense geomagnetic storms — and lots of great displays of aurora.
Northern Lights: New Moon
The next solar maximum isn’t expected until the mid-2030s, making March 2026 possibly the final crescendo of Solar Cycle 25, which began in 2019. Why March? Not only is March considered the end of the aurora-hunting season — simply because true darkness becomes rare from spring through summer at northerly latitudes — but it’s also when displays of aurora tend to peak.
The key to catching the aurora is not just solar activity, but also darkness. From Mar 11’s last quarter moon to a few nights beyond a new moon on Mar 19, the night skies will be dark and free from bright moonlight. It’s the ideal time to head to northerly latitudes to see the aurora, or hope for them to appear at more southerly latitudes.
Northern Lights: Equinox
The arrival of the spring equinox on Friday, Mar 20, marks a change in seasons, but it’s also a scientifically proven catalyst for increased aurora activity. Scientists noticed long ago that geomagnetic activity tends to be stronger twice a year, around the equinoxes in March and September. This uptick in Northern Lights is explained by the Russell-McPherron Effect, first described in a paper in 1973. Twice a year, near the equinoxes, the south-pointing part of the sun’s magnetic field more easily connects with Earth’s magnetic field. When that happens, charged particles from the sun penetrate Earth’s defenses more easily, driving more and more intense geomagnetic storms and auroras.
The Truth About The Northern Lights
The Northern Lights are caused by the solar wind, a stream of charged particles from the sun. As they strike Earth’s magnetic field, they accelerate down its magnetic field lines at the north and south poles to create ovals of green and red over the Arctic Circle — Alaska, northern Canada and northern Scandinavia (Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland). These ovals are always there, but can stretch south when the solar wind gets charged up by coronal mass ejections (clouds of charged particles that depart the sun after a solar flare). When that happens, those in North America can sometimes see the Northern Lights as a faint glow on the northern horizon.
For aurora-hunters and night sky photographers alike, this may be the last great aurora opportunity for years — and one that could be visible farther south than usual, if solar activity aligns just right.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
