A bright full moon can wash out the show like a flashlight in a movie theater. Aim for a night when the moon is a crescent or below the horizon. New moon is the VIP pass for aurora viewers.
I once tried to see the lights during a full moon. I saw faint green, but it looked like someone was shining a green laser through a bed sheet. Disappointing. The moon was basically a party crasher.
So, tonight: check the Kp forecast, convert the UT time, aim for midnight, avoid the full moon, and be ready to wait. Bring a blanket, a thermos of something warm, and maybe a funny podcast. The aurora is a diva. She’ll appear when she’s good and ready—but now you know when to peek.
Good luck, don’t freeze, and may your skies be green (or pink, or purple, or that weird magenta that looks like someone spilled Mountain Dew on a black velvet painting).
