One of the fastest growing apps in Aurora Chasing is the Glendale App, managed by Andy Stables of Aurora Alerts UK. In the Michigan Aurora Chasers, we’ve added the app to a growing list of recommendations to help people catch the Northern Lights in the mid-latitudes.

Thank you to Robert Freeman, who captured the featured photo! An Auroral substorm brings pillars to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in May 2023.

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It’s interesting. You can’t find the app in an app store, because it is web-based and found with an internet search. After you sign up for the web-based app and customize it to your location, you can get information specific to your location in plain language at the top of the app.

Add the companion on the Telegram app, and you can suddenly get alerted to Aurora substorms, when the Northern Lights may be visible farther south than usual. The alerts will buzz your device all day and all night.

It’s easy for most of us to be awake during daylight, so with this info at our fingertips, we’re bound to notice more often when Aurora dances for the eastern hemisphere. But you can also set up push notifications when you subscribe to a Telegram channel, which will buzz your phone when substorms gain strength at night — waking you up when Aurora dances in the western hemisphere!

Are you subscribed to Aurora Alerts UK on the Telegram app? Because I LOVE this feature!

It helps to learn some of the terms and measures of geomagnetic activity, so that you can understand the information this app delivers. The app also has a unique alerts structure, coded with colors and descriptive words, so it helps to understand what each alert means in your region.

Specific to my region, here is what I’ve learned about the alerts structure, from experience and observation, catered to the eyesight viewing experience. That means way more is possible aided by a camera, and Aurora may push way farther south in the following circumstances or in brief intervals of 5 minutes or less. Keep reading for a mini-tutorial!

1. SHOCK DETECTED— A lot of beginning Aurora Chasers ask “Where can you find out when a CME has made impact?” This is one example of a great source! Using the Telegram channel, you will be alerted when “An Interplanetary Shock has been detected.” That means a CME arrival is eminent within the given timeframe, given the margin of error!

2. YELLOW ALERT — Aurora is strengthening in northern locations that often experience Northern Lights, substorms are popping up brief pillars, and sightings may be seen south of the Canada border or in the northernmost regions of the contiguous U.S. In Michigan, this means the Upper Peninsula could have visible Aurora; Mackinac City chasers on deck!

3. ORANGE ALERT — Aurora is pushing south into many of the northern states of the U.S., with beautiful eyesight sightings possible as far south as 44° North or 43° North. Camera captures in the northernmost tier of the contiguous U.S. are absolutely stunning, substorms are active even if brief, and high pillars are very likely at these and similar latitudes. In Michigan, this means camera captures in Northern Michigan are gorgeous, and high pillars are very likely; Southern Michigan on deck!

4. RED ALERT — Go Outside Now! At this threshold, anyone who is interested in chasing Aurora in the northern U.S. and neighboring states should be on alert — if not already outside looking for the Northern Lights or taking test shots on camera. The really fantastic Aurora displays will expand across the northern border states in the U.S. that have clear skies during Red Alerts, with impressive substorms, formations and pillars, and mind-blowing camera captures. In Michigan and the Great Lakes region, this means the entire state of Michigan should be chasing, on down south of the lower Michigan border; Northern Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, check your skies! Southern U.S. states on deck!

5. MAJOR ALERT, SEVERE ALERT or Greater — You could be missing the Aurora of a lifetime. Regardless of forecasts,, the K Index, G Storm Levels, solar wind speed parameters or other predictors, this Alert level on this app/service/platform indicates some of the most amazing Aurora possible in our region and far, far beyond! Maybe even for most of the U.S., especially when you consider the recent western SARs, southwestern STEVEs, or camera-only sightings. Even in-camera sightings near the Equator might be possible, if May 10th is any indication!

I stumbled onto the share link for the Telegram alerts companion the other day. It works independent of the Glendale App, which also comes highly recommended. We would encourage anyone adding the Glendale App to both be patient during elevated times, and update your app frequently to ensure it keeps working for users around the world.

If you’re interested in getting these types of substorm alerts indicating powerful Aurora potential, click the link below. Remember, this is a companion to the Glendale App (Aurora Alerts UK):

Join “Aurora Alerts UK (Glendale App)”: https://t.me/GlendaleApp