Northern lights in New Jersey tonight

The Pine Barrens - a million-acre forest in south-central New Jersey - gives Bortle 3 conditions surprising for a state surrounded by dense population. The Batsto area and the Mullica River corridor are the darkest points. The forest gives open sky above pitch pine canopy gaps facing north. At 39.8°N geographic latitude, around 49° geomagnetic latitude, this sits at much the same line as New York City. The lack of development across this large forested area creates a genuine dark zone within the state.

New Jersey's highest point at 550 m in the Kittatinny Mountains on the New York border. The summit monument faces north across the Wallkill Valley toward New York State. At 41.3°N geographic - the highest latitude in New Jersey - combined with the elevation, this gives the state's best aurora viewing geometry. About 70 miles from Newark via I-287 and NJ-23.

The Delaware River valley between New Jersey and Pennsylvania gives Bortle 3 sky 55 miles from Newark. The ridge tops on the New Jersey side face north across the gap. The Appalachian Trail along the Kittatinny Ridge above the gap gives elevated sky access. Several trailheads are accessible from I-80. The gap sits between the two largest metro areas in the northeast, keeping development minimal in the valley itself.