How to See the Northern Lights From Vancouver Island

Witnessing the Aurora Borealis is an incredible and unforgettable experience unlike any other. And yes, while it is uncommon for the northern lights to be seen on Vancouver Island, with a little bit of luck it is still possible to see them for yourself. It’s definitely rare enough that I wouldn’t plan any Vancouver Island trips solely on the off-chance of seeing the aurora, as there are only a few nights a year that the northern lights are strong enough to be seen from Vancouver Island. If you’ve heard that there may be a chance of seeing an aurora tonight though, I’ll provide you with everything you need to know in order to maximize your chances of seeing it. In this blog post I’ll cover where on Vancouver Island you need to go to see the northern lights, what time to see them, the best ways to predict if the northern lights will be visible from Vancouver Island at all, and some tips for photographing them. But first, a little info on what the northern lights even are.

What are the Northern Lights?

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, is the name we use to describe the beautiful reaction that is caused by the collision of charged particles from the sun colliding with gases high in the Earth’s atmosphere. The different colours of the aurora are caused by different types of gases. While green is the most common colour, red, purple, blue, and yellow can also be seen from time to time. Solar activity is measured in order to anticipate the amount of charged particles flying towards on earth on the solar wind. When the sun is busy burping out lots of these particles via sun spots, it means a good chance of an Aurora Borealis for us! Interestingly, solar activity has an 11-year cycle. The next peak of solar activity will be in 2025, meaning you’re one year away from year where you’re most likely to see the northern lights from Vancouver island! (Until 2036 that is.)

Tools I use to see the Northern Lights on vancouver Island

• Aurora Okay, I’m no scientist. I don’t have machines pointing at the sky giving me constant updates on Kp and Bz. That would be insane. I have an app for that. I’ve used a few different aurora apps, and the best one is just called Aurora. It provides me with real-time info on Kp, and gives me notifications if there’s a high chance of seeing the northern lights based on my current location. At the end of the day though, it is just an app, and isn’t 100% reliable. That’s why I have the second item on this list…

• BC Aurora Enthusiasts The absolute best and most reliable resource is people who actually know what they’re talking about. (AKA not me) The BC Aurora Chasers Facebook group is full of citizen scientists and passionate aurora chasers who are excellent at answering questions and provide updates if there’s a high chance of an aurora on a particular night. It’s also a great community for sharing northern lights photos the day after a show! It’s the #1 resource I can recommend for anyone looking to get into the hobby of aurora chasing. If you’re not located in BC, there are a number of other aurora groups depending where you are.

• Dark Sky Finder Light pollution can be an important thing you want to avoid in order to see the northern lights. Dark skies make it much easier to see the aurora, meaning you’re unlikely to see anything from downtown Victoria. This map does a great job of showing which areas have darker skies, helping you find somewhere to drive in order to see the aurora if you live close to an urban area.

Other Factors to Consider

Other factors to consider when trying to see the aurora include weather considerations. You can imagine the frustration of having an incredible aurora but not be able to see it due to dense cloud cover. The first thing I do when I hear there might be an aurora is check the weather report so I don’t get my hopes up. Clear starry nights are best, especially moonless ones, as the light from the moon can make it harder to see the northern lights if they’re out.

What time should I look for the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights can be visible anywhere from just after sunset to just before sunrise, although most often the best shows occur twenty minutes after you give up looking and go to sleep. Technically the aurora occurs during the daytime as well – it’s just not visible because of the sunlight. So there is really no way to predict in advance exactly what time it’ll happen – you’ll just have to make yourself comfy and wait.

Where to see the Northern Lights on Vancover Island

One important consideration in picking a good aurora spot is making sure you have as clear a view of the horizon to the north as possible, as this is where the aurora will be. The stronger the aurora, the higher up from the horizon it will be visible, but having an unobstructed view is important. This rules out much of southern Vancouver Island as prime aurora location, as most beaches only have views to the south. The best locations are quiet parks or beaches without any lights nearby and clear views to the north. Make sure to bring a light to be able to move around safely, and to be quiet so as not to disturb other people. I highly suggest using the dark sky app to find dark spots with views facing north near where you live, but here a few suggestions.

Where to see the aurora near Victoria/Saanich: Setchell Viewpoint, Moses Point, Seabreeze Road Beach, Beach Access 334

Where to see the aurora near Nanaimo: Rathtrevor Beach, Madrona Park, Cottam Point, Dolphin Beach, Blueback Beach

How to Predict Seeing the Northern Lights on Vancouver island

The most important measurement used when talking about the amount of solar particles colliding with the earth is Kp, a term often heard when discussing the aurora. To put it simply, the higher the Kp number, the bigger the potential aurora, the bigger the aurora, the more likely you are to see it from Vancouver Island. (Or anywhere else for that matter.) To see live updates on the the current Kp you can use the Aurora app or the Facebook group.

As the chart above illustrates, higher and higher Kps are required to see an aurora at latitudes further and further south. For those on Vancouver Island, a Kp6 or Kp7 may be required, whereas for those in Northern BC a Kp of 3 is more than sufficient to see the aurora overhead. This is why northern lights tourism is more popular in the north where it is more common to see them due to the proximity to the north pole. This applies to just Vancouver Island as well. The further north up the island you are, the more likely you are to see the northern lights.

Okay, so if Kp is high, then that means I can definitely see the northern lights right? Ha, if only it was that easy. It only gets more sciency from here so I’ll try to keep things as simple as possible. Those charged particles from the sun carry with it the sun’s magnetic field, which of course reacts with the Earth’s own magnetic field. And just like any magnets, they can either attract or deflect each other based on their orientation. The Earth’s magnetic field is oriented north, meaning that in order to not have the Earth’s magnetosphere just push away those charged particles, we need them to be oriented south. This measurement is Called Bz, which is always either south or north. So to review: if Kp is a high number that’s good, and if Bz is south that’s good. A low Kp and a north Bz mean to stay in bed – there’s no aurora tonight.

There was a Great Aurora Last Night – How About Tonight?

This is one of the most common questions I see posted in aurora groups the day after a great show. Everyone wants to know if there’ll be another show that night. And the answer is… maybe? Sometimes the data is good and there’s a great aurora multiple nights in a row, sometimes the aurora is spectacular and only visible for ten minutes on one night only. It’s hard to know. That’s why I highly recommend the BC Aurora Enthusiasts Facebook group as they update every day that there might be an aurora.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to seeing the Northern Lights from Vancouver Island! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.