What is AuroraMAX?

AuroraMAX is a Canadian aurora observatory. By means of a ground camera in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, you can see the aurora from the comfort of your home. The camera turns on automatically as soon as the Sun sets in Yellowknife during the aurora season. The countdown timer shows how much time is left until the broadcast starts.

In addition to the camera, AuroraMAX is also a public outreach initiative that aims to raise awareness of:

  • the northern lights and their beauty;
  • the science behind the auroras;
  • how solar activity can affect our daily lives.

The AuroraMAX project is led by the University of Calgary, and supported by our fantastic partners, the Canadian Space Agency, Astronomy North, and the City of Yellowknife.

The AuroraMAX logo, designed by James Pugsley of Astronomy North, symbolizes the cause-and-effect relationship between our star and our planet. A prominent green spike represents the changing nature of the aurora, set against the powerful source behind the solar wind—the Sun.

Live feed

AuroraMAX makes it possible to watch the northern lights from the comfort of your home. A real-time feed is broadcast live from the Canadian North during the aurora season (between August and May).

Watch the live feed →

Latest live feed
Movie browser screenshot

Nightly Movie Replays

Every morning, a video of the last night's broadcast is generated so you can quickly see what the night was like. You can browse all movies generated by the AuroraMAX project, going back to 2010.

Browse the movie replays →

Learn about the aurora

Using the AuroraMAX Learning Center you learn more about the aurora and the science around it, along with tips for viewing and photographing it yourself.

Check out the Learning Center →

Learning center screenshot

AuroraMAX on social media

Stay up to date with AuroraMAX using Twitter and Facebook. We tweet whenever upcoming solar storms are predicted so you can know when to tune in to the broadcast.

View Twitter pageView Facebook page