Northern Lights Maine Tonight

Explore the viewing regions

Choose a marked region to update the live Viewing Score at the top of this page. Pin locations are regional reference points, not exact public parking or viewing entrances.

Loading the key-free dark map…

Select a region to see its forecast threshold and the current NOAA signal.

Katahdin roads and campground access are seasonal. Region markers are not directions to an open nighttime access point.

Find one of the viewing locations in the field guide

These are genuine places researched below. Each link opens a location-name search on OpenStreetMap; it is not a verified gate or parking-pin coordinate.

NOAA aurora oval · Northern Hemisphere

This is NOAA's current modeled auroral oval, not a live photograph or a promise of visibility. Zoom your eyes toward North America to see how far south the oval reaches.

NOAA updates its aurora nowcast independently of this page.

Next 72 hours · Kp forecast

Every bar is a NOAA 3-hour Kp sample. The dashed line marks the planning threshold for the region you select above; it is not a visibility probability.

Waiting for NOAA forecast samples…

Below local planning KpAt/above planning KpReference level

Read the Maine viewing field guide below for the sites, actual access considerations, and best months. NOAA 30-minute aurora forecast · NOAA 3-day forecast.

Maine regional outlook: what the Kp numbers mean

The live cards above use Maine-specific cloud and aurora data. Their Kp values are early planning thresholds, not a promise that lights will be visible. The northern border has the latitude advantage, while Katahdin and the Maine Woods preserve exceptional darkness. Coastal clouds and fog can outweigh both.

• Allagash and far north — Kp 4. Allagash Village, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and far-northern lakes have a latitude advantage and little town lighting. Road, campground and waterway access require advance planning.
• Aroostook County — Kp 5. Presque Isle, Caribou and Fort Kent can catch displays on a low northern horizon; move away from streetlights and choose a legal open field or lake edge.
• Katahdin Woods and Waters — Kp 5. Patten, the Katahdin Loop Road and nearby Baxter region are unusually dark. The national monument is an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, though many roads are rough and seasonal.
• Rangeley and western mountains — Kp 6. Rangeley and the western lakes have low light pollution; ridgelines and tree cover can hide aurora near the northern horizon.
• Acadia, Downeast and Bangor — Kp 6. Bar Harbor, Schoodic and Bangor are farther south. Coastal fog, cloud and local town light can erase a marginal display even at an otherwise dark park site.
• Portland and southern Maine — Kp 7. Portland, York County and the southern coast need unusually strong southward expansion. Escape metro lighting, but do not expect routine displays.

Where to watch the northern lights in Maine

These are real locations, not live-confirmed accessible viewing sites. Designated dark-sky land can have exceptionally low light pollution without every point having an independently verified Bortle class. No exact Bortle number is claimed here. Confirm overnight access, road and land restrictions before you go.

• Katahdin Loop Road Overlook. NPS-recommended stargazing viewpoint in Katahdin Woods and Waters. Certified Dark Sky Sanctuary; the route is unpaved, and NPS recommends a high-clearance vehicle.
• Lunksoos Picnic Area. Another named night-sky site within Katahdin Woods and Waters, away from nearby town lighting.
• AMC Maine Woods — Gorman Chairback area. Within the Appalachian Mountain Club's certified International Dark Sky Park; arrange authorized lodge or land access before visiting.
• Allagash Wilderness Waterway — Chamberlain Lake area. Remote northern lake-and-campground country with very little developed lighting; do not assume roads, boat launches or campsites are reachable at night.
• Lily Bay State Park, Moosehead Lake. A real lakeshore park northeast of Greenville. Favor an approved lake-facing campsite or accessible public area, with park hours checked first.
• Height of Land overlook, Route 17 near Rangeley. Well-known western Maine lake-and-mountain overlook; find safe, legal parking and confirm the northern view is not screened by terrain.
• Seawall area, Acadia National Park. NPS-recommended night-sky area on the quieter west side of Mount Desert Island; ocean sky is dark but an aurora still needs a usable northward sightline.
• Sand Beach / Ocean Path, Acadia. Both named on NPS's stargazing guide. These are dark-sky photography settings, but hills can hide low northern aurora; verify parking and seasonal road conditions.
• Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia. An actual separate Acadia unit with a less urban night sky; choose an open area only where nighttime access is permitted.

Best months and hours for aurora in Maine

September through March generally provides the best combination of early darkness and manageable viewing windows; April can work farther north, while June's late twilight shortens the usable night. Start with 10 p.m.–2 a.m. Eastern Time, but follow NOAA's activity and the local cloud forecast over any fixed clock. A dark, clear night after the moon sets can matter more than a calendar date. Maine's Atlantic coast often has fog; Katahdin roads and Baxter access are highly seasonal.

Aurora photography basics

Mount a camera or phone on a tripod, turn off flash, and focus on a star or distant light. For a camera, start at a wide aperture (around f/2.8), ISO 1600–3200, and a 5–10 second exposure; shorten to 1–3 seconds when the aurora moves quickly. A phone's night mode can capture color that looks faint to the eye if it is held perfectly still. Check the sharpness of stars and keep extra batteries warm. Use a dim red headlamp, and do not walk toward cliffs, water or unmarked trails while composing photos.

Maine northern lights FAQ

How often are northern lights visible in Maine?

Not nightly. Far northern Maine and the Katahdin region have better opportunities during moderate-to-strong geomagnetic activity than Portland or the southern beaches.

What Kp should I watch for in Aroostook?

The local planning trigger is Kp 5 around Presque Isle and Caribou, versus Kp 4 in the farther-north Allagash. A dark, clear sky and aurora oval are still essential.

Is Acadia a good northern-lights spot?

Acadia protects darker coastal sky, but its latitude is lower and ocean fog is common. Seawall and approved night-sky sites can work during stronger storms; do not assume Cadillac Mountain summit is open to overnight parking.

Where can I find the darkest sky in Maine?

Katahdin Woods and Waters is a certified Dark Sky Sanctuary, and AMC Maine Woods is a certified Dark Sky Park. Neither designation guarantees an unobstructed northern horizon or access tonight.

Can I drive to a Katahdin overlook after dark?

Check the NPS road and access notices first. Katahdin Loop Road is unpaved and is not a safe last-minute destination in snow or mud.

Location and sky references: NPS Katahdin night-sky viewing locations · NPS Acadia stargazing and access · DarkSky International AMC Maine Woods. Live signal reference: NOAA 30-minute aurora forecast.