Michigan northern lights viewing chances improve in early fall

(FOX 2) - Colorful fall leaves, cider mills, and sweatshirt weather, summer isn't quite done in Michigan, but the early signs of fall are starting to settle in, starting with the first day of school for many students this Aug. 28.

There's another reason to rejoice for the beginning of autumn: northern lights. 

Being lucky enough to see the aurora borealis requires both timing and placement. Michigan is far enough north that most of its residents are within driving distance of the furthest stretches of the northern lights when activity ramps up.

But solar flares that drive the northern lights to dazzle the skies only increase during certain times of the year. According CapturetheAtlas, solar activity picks up in the early fall and early spring, making the months of September and March as some of the best opportunities for viewing.

The sun also sets sooner, giving us longer nights and a better chance to see the greens and blues that come out during solar activity. While the northern lights do come out in May, June, and July, one would have to travel further north to see them.

It also hasn't gotten too cold that braving northern environments during September and October won't be too difficult, TheAuroraZone says. The Great Lakes will be ice-free, which means some of the viewing opportunities will include the aurora borealis reflecting off the water. 

MORE: How the northern lights form

The iridescent colors that form are the product of charged particles that originated from the sun during a solar wind event. After being flung from their source, they collide with Earth's upper atmosphere, creating energy in the form of blue and green colors.

Sometimes known as Coronal Mass Ejections, they can occur at anytime. 

That unpredictability can make planning the ultimate viewing experience tough since forecasts for big solar storms only come a few days before the illumination reaches its peak on Earth.