They shimmy green, white and red across the Arctic sky like a Klondike saloon dancer’s petticoat. Truly one of nature’s wonders, the aurora borealis (AKA the Northern Lights) are never the same on any two nights — sometimes mysteriously rippling above the horizon; other times shamelessly flashing with an intensity that makes you swear you can hear them crackle. It’s no wonder aurora borealis has stoked legends. The Inuit believe the lights are a team of dead souls playing soccer with a walrus head, while the Japanese say a child conceived beneath these shifting curtains of colour will be lucky in life.

In the north sky, the lights come out when the midnight sun goes down, in fall and early spring. Arguably one of the best places to see them is from the Yukon Territory’s Inn on the Lake, a 35-minute drive from Whitehorse. A luxurious spruce lodge on Marsh Lake, the inn’s three-night Aurora Package ensures warm winter clothing, as well as hot drinks and nibbles to last the night. Orientation helps you find True North, where the lights begin their sky-wide journey. Guests can also tune in to an aurora forecast website that predicts upcoming shows by monitoring solar flares on the sun. The flares release charged ions that take two to five days — at 60,000 km/sec (37,000 mi/sec) — to reach Earth’s atmosphere and shower it with colour.

It’s not all about chasing the Northern Lights in the wee hours, though. Between cat naps, spend sunny days snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and learning how to ice fish. Zip through the woods on a snowmobile until you’re ready for a dip in the outdoor hot tub, or take a seat in the heated Aurora Solarium for a front-row showing of the night sky’s spectacle. Let the show begin!

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www.auroraforecast.com