What time does the aurora borealis happen

Aurora borealis is easier to see from late November to March. Ideal conditions are clear, crisp, cold and cloudless skies with little light. The best time to start looking is around 1-1/2 hours after sunset. Peak auroral activity is 10pm-2pm solar time, which is 2.5 hours after clock time during daylight saving time (April-October) and 1.5 hours after during standard daylight time (November-March).

Look for faintly glowing bands of greenish white light in the northern part of the sky. Auroras resemble curtains hung vertically in the sky. At maximum intensity you’ll see arcs and spirals. Intense activity lasts 20-30 minutes. After fading, a second peak of activity can occur 1-2 hours later.

Recent solar flares were said to make aurora borealis visible as far south as the Great Lakes and Washington state.