Stargaze and See the Northern Lights in Michigan’s U.P.
Some adventures are nearly impossible to replicate and stargazing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is one of them. When it comes to dark skies, few places on Earth surpass the U.P. Looking up at its dome of stars and planets and watching the Northern Lights shimmer and dance on the horizon will fill you with wordless wonder and awe.
Why the Upper Peninsula is One of the Best Stargazing and Northern Light Viewing Areas on Earth
Most of us never see how amazingly bright and beautiful the sky is at night. Living in a city or suburb, lights from streets, parking lots and buildings dim the universe overhead and the Northern Lights on the horizon.
The Upper Peninsula, however, is mostly wilderness surrounded by three massive Great Lakes. There are few towns and most are small and emit little light pollution. In the fall through mid-spring, our days are shorter and nights are longer. That gives you more darkness to stargaze. Because the U.P. is closer to the North Pole, it increases the visibility of the Northern Lights, making it one of the top viewing areas in the contiguous 48 United States.
All these factors are why the stars, planets, nebulae, shooting meteor showers and Northern Lights pop into clear view on cloudless nights year-round.
What Causes the Northern Lights (aka Aurora Borealis)?
What creates the dazzling, graceful swirls of greens, purples, oranges and reds above the horizon? The celestial show occurs when sun particles ride on a solar wind and then collide with Earth’s atmosphere. It doesn’t happen every night, but when it does, you won’t want to miss it! Here’s how to plan your visit.
