Under the relentless cloud cover of our northern winters, a question has been circulating in the Aurora Chasing community. “Can you see the Northern Lights through the clouds?”

If you were to volley this big question to me quickly in a moving elevator, I would respond with a confident “no.” But I’m mostly an eyesight Aurora Chaser. When I contemplate the words in the question, I envision thick cloud banks as far as the eye can see. It’s not quite that simple. Nothing in Aurora Chasing really is.

The real answer — as with all things in our shared pastime — to the big question is this: “It depends.”

Yes, it is possible to see Aurora through the clouds, dependent on the kind of conditions you are facing. As fellow chaser Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin Patrick Grubba has pointed out, it also helps to pay attention to whether the clouds are being illuminated on the bottom, from light below, or on the top, from light above. When clouds are lit from below, this is usually from an artificial light source or light pollution. When lit from above, this is often caused by moonlight — or even Aurora.

Thank you to Michigan Aurora Chasers Admin Patrick Grubba for this beautiful photograph illustrating that you can, in fact, capture Aurora through the clouds.

So, when should you look for Aurora in the midst of clouds? Well, it’s always worth a try — especially because weather models that predict cloud cover are not known for accuracy. Yet, there are seemingly countless variables to the discussion on clouds. I think in most cases, perhaps 96% of the time, it’s true that you can’t see the colors of the Aurora to the naked eye through thick cloud banks.

In reality, the discussion benefits from dozens of caveats:

• Are you looking for eyesight visibility or on-camera sightings?
• What is the quality of your camera?
• What is the quality of your dark skies?
• What is the thickness and pervasiveness of the cloud coverage?
• What types of clouds are present?
• How distant are the clouds on the northern horizon? Can you see large portions of the sky above them? Can you see clearings to the east or to the west? Even the south?
• Is the Aurora strong enough to appear in another direction, aside from the north, northeast or northwest?
• How constant is the Aurora? Is it steady enough to remain in the sky as a constant while the clouds move beneath it? Might you instead only see brief pillars, pulses or flashes of light?

You can absolutely see Aurora through breaks in the clouds; above the clouds, if the clouds are very distant and low to the horizon; through thin clouds; and through large holes in a cloudy sky.

On camera, you can catch beautiful Aurora with all of its colors, regardless of most cloud situations. To the eye, however, it becomes extremely hard to see eyesight-visible Aurora peeking through in moderately light-polluted areas. At least, that’s true in my experience, and that’s my opinion. Perhaps you have better night vision or an “eagle eye!”

For those using camera gear or modern phone technology, a camera can absolutely pick up Aurora on cloudy nights. In fact, a phone camera is what I used to spot the first elusive pillar of Aurora on a cloudy night when I toured Iceland. The clouds were not too thick, and they were wispy enough that small cracks revealed the stars for fractions of a second, as I took my test shots. Sure enough, a bright green Aurora pillar shined through the broken clouds! At least, on camera.

If anyone gives a quick answer to this question, and says “yes, you can,” or “no, you can’t,” they are missing the point. The point is that there are so many variables and conditions an Aurora sighting depends on. Everyone’s experience will be different, not only based on whether they are aided by a camera of any kind, but also based on the current conditions, their own individual eyesight, and their unique dark sky conditions of the location where they are viewing.

Another interesting factor is that sometimes if you have clouds in just one side of the sky, they can actually block other ambient light sources like bright moonlight, and make it easier to see the Aurora on the clear side of the sky. Once or twice a year, they almost seem to improve an Aurora Chase. It’s uncanny!

To truly understand this question and its answer, pause to consider all the variables. I’ve been thinking about this big question for a long time, and I think everyone would be well-served to remember that the answer varies, and it totally depends. Both of the polar opposite answers to this question can be true…

YES, you can sometimes catch Aurora through some variations of clouds; AND ALSO, NO, there will be nights when total cloud cover of the thick variety makes it impossible for our eyes to see the Aurora.

Perhaps, I could answer more scientifically and take time to discuss cloud classifications. But that opens an entirely new game of what-if’s. For example, wispy cirrus clouds are usually regarded as a non-issue when it comes to Aurora viewing, but I distinctly remember an Aurora display so faint that a thin band of high-elevation cirrus clouds completely blocked my eyesight-viewing experience, while others in the state captured colorful views. By the way, that was the assessment of a credentialed meteorologist who was chasing the same Aurora at exactly the same time.

It remains true that if you can spot stars in the sky, it means you have a clear view to the highest altitudes of Earth’s atmosphere, meaning you have a better chance of witnessing a wonderful Northern Lights display.

And to someone’s point made to me earlier this year, yes, Aurora can get bright enough to wash out the view of the stars in certain spots. This usually happens during extremely strong displays, when Aurora is easier to catch!

So, what are some key takeaways?

When using camera gear of any kind, do not rule out Aurora due to clouds. Beware thick cloud banks that stretch from horizon to horizon, as these often yield disappointment. Be sure to make your own eye-witness assessment of clouds on any night you want to chase, because cloud cover predictions are not set in stone.

Above all, keep an open mind! Our understanding, including field reports and sighting capabilities, is growing every day.