Chasing the Northern Lights in the Yukon: The Complete Guide

The Yukon sits directly beneath the auroral oval — the ring-shaped zone around the magnetic pole where the northern lights are most active — which makes it one of the best places on Earth to see the aurora borealis. On a clear, dark night the whole sky can come alive in curtains of green, and sometimes red and violet, shifting faster than you can photograph them.  ## When to go The aurora is out all year, but you can only see it when the sky is dark. That rules out the Yukon summer, when the [midnight sun](/blog/why-yukon-feels-different) keeps the sky bright around the clock. The viewing season runs from roughly **late August to mid-April**, in two stretches: - **Autumn (late August–October):** milder temperatures, open-water reflections, and fall colour. A favourite for first-timers. - **Winter (November–April):** the longest, darkest nights and, statistically, the most consistent displays — but it is cold, often −30°C or below. Dress accordingly. The darkest hours, roughly 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., are usually best, though a strong display can appear any time the sky is dark. ## Where to go Get away from town lights. Around Whitehorse, dedicated aurora-viewing operators run heated camps outside the city; see our [Whitehorse guide](/blog/whitehorse-essential-guide). In Dawson City, drive a few kilometres out the Klondike Highway or up toward the Midnight Dome. Anywhere with a wide, dark northern horizon and a clear sky will do. The official [Travel Yukon northern lights](https://www.travelyukon.com/en/media/northern-lights) page is a good planning resource. ## Reading the forecast Aurora strength is measured by the **Kp index**, a 0–9 scale. From the Yukon's high latitude you can see activity at surprisingly low numbers — anything around Kp 3 or above is worth getting outside for. Free apps and the U.S. NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center publish short-term forecasts. But the single most important factor is simpler: a **clear sky**. Check the cloud forecast as carefully as the aurora forecast.  ## Photographing the aurora The northern lights are easier to photograph than almost any other night subject, but you need the right settings: - **A tripod, always.** Exposures are too long to hand-hold. - **Manual mode.** Set the aperture as wide as your lens allows (f/2.8 or lower is ideal), ISO between 1600 and 3200, and exposures of 5 to 15 seconds — shorter for fast-moving displays, longer for faint ones. - **Manual focus** set to infinity (autofocus fails in the dark; focus on a bright star). - **A wide lens** captures more sky. - **Spare batteries** kept warm in an inside pocket — cold drains them fast. For more on shooting in Dawson's extraordinary light, see [Gold Rush Photography: Tips for Photographing Dawson City](/blog/photography-tips-dawson-city). ## A note on patience The aurora keeps its own schedule. Give yourself several nights, dress far warmer than you think you need to, bring a thermos, and be willing to stay up late. When it finally fills the sky, you'll understand why people travel across the world for it. --- ## See Also on TheKlondike.net - [Gold Rush Photography: Tips for Photographing Dawson City](/blog/photography-tips-dawson-city) - [Whitehorse Travel Guide](/blog/whitehorse-essential-guide) — base for many aurora trips - [Why the Yukon Feels Different](/blog/why-yukon-feels-different) — including the midnight sun that makes summer aurora impossible - [Dawson City Travel Guide](/blog/dawson-city-48-hours)