Northern Lights

Your Step-by-Step Guide to Seeing the Aurora Borealis

Keith s. folse
About The Book

Seeing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list. But how do you actually plan a trip to see them?

Where should you go? What time of year is best? How many nights should you stay? Should you book a tour or try to see the Lights on your own? And what can you do to improve your chances of actually seeing them?

Northern Lights: Your Practical Guide to Seeing the Aurora Borealis gives you the practical information you need to plan your own aurora adventure.

Longtime traveler and aurora hunter Keith Folse shares what he has learned from multiple trips in search of the Lights — including successful trips and some expensive mistakes.

You’ll learn how to:

  • choose a good Northern Lights destination
  • decide when to go and how long to stay
  • understand the auroral oval and Kp Index
  • choose accommodations and transportation
  • decide between tours, packages, and going on your own
  • dress for seriously cold weather
  • use weather forecasts and aurora apps
  • avoid common mistakes that can reduce your chances of seeing the Lights


This is not a coffee-table book filled with beautiful aurora photographs or a technical science book. It is a practical travel guide for people who want to see the Northern Lights for themselves.

You cannot make the Northern Lights appear. But this book can help you make smart decisions that improve your chances of being in the right place at the right time.

The Details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ The University of Michigan Press (30 March 2018)

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0472037188

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0472037186

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 295 g

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.24 x 1.27 x 22.86 cm

Related Books

The Art of Teaching Speaking

Research and Pedagogy for the ESL/EFL Classroom

Keith’s Photos

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(March 10, 2022; 9:19 PM)

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(March 10, 2022; 9:45 PM)

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(March 12, 2022; 1:06 AM)

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(March 11, 2022; 8:29 PM)

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(March 12, 2022; 5:40 AM)

Alta, Norway
(January 14, 2018; 9:03 PM)

Seglvik, Norway
From our moving cruise ship.
(March 2, 2026; 11:11 PM)

Near Roan, Norway
From our moving cruise ship.
Rough seas caused a lot of movement, so images are a bit blurry.
(March 8, 2026; 1:26 AM)

Near Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada
From our flight home.
(April 9, 2025; 3:30 AM)

Fairbanks (Ester), Alaska, USA
(April 3, 2025; 11:27PM)

Videos

Near Fairbanks, Alaska
(April 9, 2025; 3:30 AM)