Editor’s note: According to forecasts, the chances of seeing the Northern Lights in Wisconsin are currently slim
Wisconsinites will be able to see the Northern Lights on Thursday evening, and you don’t want to be close to a city to see the Northern Lights.
If you’re in the city, you’ll want to get out, but being in a darker place doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to see it.
Here’s a list of places across the state that offer some of the best viewing opportunities.
Designated obscure skies in Wisconsin
Newport State Park (Ellison Bay) – On the northeastern edge of Door County, Newport State Park is the only officially designated obscure sky park in Wisconsin. This means it’s far enough away from cities and other major sources of lithe pollution that the view of the night sky is almost pristine.
Driftless Wisconsin -The Driftless Region is an often undervalued natural area in the state. Although not an official obscure sky, there is an effort to have three Driftless locations within approximately 15 miles of each other in Vernon County designated as obscure sky areas. They are: Kickapoo Valley Preserve, Wildcat Mountain State Park and Tunnelville Cliffs State Natural Area. You can learn more about them here.
More:Looking for more stars? Here are the five international obscure sky spots closest to Wisconsin
Places near Milwaukee where you can see the Northern Lights
Designated obscure skies aren’t the only places you can see the Northern Lights. Hanson added that lighting may be better in the darkest places, but there’s no need to travel too far or bring special equipment to an event apparent to the naked eye. Rural areas are best, but as mentioned above, the best places are obscure places to the north with an unobstructed view of the northern horizon.
Places near Milwaukee that may be good include:
- Harrington Beach State Park: About 40 minutes north of Milwaukee you can see the Northern Lights there.
- Kettle Moraine National Forest: You need as unobstructed view to the north as possible, because deep in the forest is not where you want to be. However, both north and south of Kettle Moraine there are several places worth visiting.
- Kohler-Andrae State Park: About an hour north of Milwaukee is this seaside state park. Looking out over Lake Michigan, you should have a good view of the Northern Lights.
- Parnell Tower: Highest point of the northern Kettle Moraine. This is a potentially great view if you’re in the tower and looking north.
Note: While these are good places to view the Northern Lights, be sure to check out the site a few hours in advance before leaving.
There are several observatories in Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory, 18850 Observatory Road, New Berlin. Visit www.milwaukeastro.org for more information.
- Wehr Astronomical Society Observatory at Froeming Park, 8801 S. 51st St., Franklin.
- Harken Observatory at the Pewaukee Public Library, 210 Main St., Pewaukee. Visit Friendsofwehr.org for more information.
- Modine-Benstead Observatory, 112 63rd Drive, Union Grove. Visit rasastro.org for more information.
Tips on how to watch the Northern Lights
According to Gene Hanson, director of the Milwaukee Astronomical Society observatory, while there is a good chance of seeing the aurora borealis this week, it is crucial to remember that predicting them is very challenging and notoriously inexact.
“That said, it’s also one of those things you can’t overlook,” Hanson said. For those interested in trying to see the aurora borealis, Hanson recommends three things:
- Go north: The Northern Lights got their name for a reason. Hanson says the further north you go, the northern lights get bigger and brighter. “Even 60 miles north can make a huge difference,” Hanson says.
- Look for the horizon: It means the northern horizon. Hanson says you want the most unobstructed north-facing view you can find. The further north you go, the more lights you see.
- Move away from the lithe: Light pollution is often the reason why stars cannot be seen in the city. So get out of town and get out. Rural areas are best, and Hanson says anywhere with a good view of the stars will work, but the darker the better.
More information on when the aurora borealis will be apparent on Thursday can be found here. To get the most up-to-date forecast, Hanson recommended monitoring NOAA’s Northern Lights Forecast Toolwhich has a 30 minute forecast.
Drew Dawson can be contacted at: [email protected] or 262-289-1324.
