How to See the Northern Lights in Ottawa: Best Times, Locations & Tips

There’s nothing quite like watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky. It’s a true moment of awe. I always thought I would need to go on an arctic adventure to see them but turns out you can see Northern Lights in Ottawa! With the right conditions offers incredible displays of the aurora borealis, especially during periods of strong solar activity. Here’s a complete guide on when, where, and how to see them, plus tips for capturing the moment on camera.

Can you see the Northern Lights in Ottawa?

Under the right conditions you can see the Northern Lights in Ottawa! I’ve been lucky to spot them a handful of times when the conditions allowed. When there’s an auroral substorm you’ll see the most vibrant version including greens, reds and purples. It’s important to note that they will be most visible through your phones camera but during a substorm you’ll be able to see fainter versions of the colour in the sky. All the photos in this post haven’t been edited and are exactly how they were picked up by my phone.

When is the Best Time of Year to See the Northern Lights in Ottawa?

The best months to spot the Northern Lights in Ottawa are from September to April, when nights are longest and skies are darkest. Late fall and winter tend to bring the clearest conditions. Grab a hot drink, bundle up and wait for the show to begin.

Did you know the Northern lights happen 24/7 but they’re only visible in the darkness. For me, I’ve had luck spotting them between 7pm-midnight but sometimes they don’t show until 4am! During the colder months our window is even longer with the early darkness.

Are the Northern Lights Visible to the Naked Eye?

The northern lights will always show up more vibrant through your phone or camera than the naked eye. Below is an example my cameras view (left) vs what it appears as for the naked eye (right). To the naked eye the Northern Lights will look like streaks in the sky and the stronger they are, the more colours your eye will be able to see.

How to Track the Northern Lights in Ottawa

Step 1: Use a Northern Lights App

I use the My Aurora Forecast App – This app allows you to track aurora activity and even enables notifications when levels are high. A KP index of 5 or above usually indicates a good chance of spotting the lights. I’ve turned on my app to notify me anytime the KP index is 4 or above.

• Use the timing page to see the likelihood of aurora activity in the next 30 minutes and an outlook for the next 24 hours. You can also get predictions for the next week. If there’s a day with a high number, I usually check back in to see if the number has stayed the same or the chances have increased.
• Look for high KP (red) on the forecast—it’s the best indicator of a strong display (example below)
• Below is an example of what the map looked like when they were visible for me.
• The app isn’t perfect though so make sure to keep the information below in mind.
• Are there any solar events forecasted for the future? I’ll usually find out about them on the news.

Here’s an example of what I could capture and where we were on the map.

Some other popular resources include:

• SpaceWeatherLive.com – real-time solar activity data
• Aurora Alerts by SoftServe – customizable notifications

Step 2: Are there optimal viewing conditions?

If there’s a good chance the Northern Lights will be visible in Ottawa the next thing you need to know is if there will be optimal viewing conditions. Some considerations:

• Is there low cloud cover? The aurora app will give you a percentage of cloud cover in the sky or you can check a weather app.
• Is there minimal moonlight? Less moonlight will enhance visibility

Where to see the Northern Lights in Ottawa

Step 3: Find a Spot with Low Light Pollution

The conditions are looking good so now you need to find a spot with low light pollution. This means limited artificial light like house lights, street lamps, etc. Check lightpollutionmap.info to find the best locations near you. I captured my photos in a yellow zone, so even if you’re not in complete darkness, you can still get an amazing view! If I was in a green zone they would be even better! During a auroral storm people have even spotted them downtown but the lower the light pollution, the stronger the view of the northern lights in Ottawa.

Some great spots in the Ottawa area include:

• Along the Ottawa River (Shirley’s Bay, Constance Bay, along the parkway)
• Gatineau Park – spot with clear view of horizon
• Country roads and rural Ottawa

Step 4: Patience is Key!

The conditions are favourable and you’ve found your location…now its time to wait. The Northern Lights can start slow, and you might wonder if they’ll get better. But trust me—it’s worth the wait. Sometimes, the best part comes later! I almost gave up, but I’m so glad I didn’t, because that’s when the real magic started.

It’s important to not it can sometimes be difficult to see them with a naked eye, especially if they’re faint. I always put my phone camera to the sky and see if its pulling green, red or purple colours.

As the aurora strengthens, it becomes more visible to the naked eye. When the pink streaks appeared, I could clearly see them lighting up the sky.

How to Capture the Northern Lights in Ottawa

I took these photos with a 3-second exposure in Carp—so if you have a camera, try experimenting with long exposure settings to capture the best shots. I find using my phone the easiest, especially because things happen quick. When there’s a strong auroral storm I’ve even been able to take timelapses where the colours appear.

Find more Ottawa ideas here!