Northern lights Virginia tonight

In the far southwest at 1700 m on the Mount Rogers massif, Grayson Highlands gives Bortle 2 conditions with open plateau sky. The summit of Mount Rogers at 1746 m is the highest point in Virginia. The park is remote - 280 miles from Richmond, 360 miles from Northern Virginia - but gives the state's darkest and highest accessible sky. The plateau faces north across open ridgeline. Winter access is limited by snow; spring and autumn give the best combination of accessibility and dark hours.

The Blue Ridge crest at 800-1100 m gives Bortle 3 sky from Big Meadows at milepost 51, facing north across the Shenandoah Valley. This is the primary aurora escape route for Northern Virginia and Richmond residents. Big Meadows at 1070 m gives the best open north-facing horizon on the drive. The ridge faces northwest toward the Shenandoah Valley with minimal light domes in that direction.

The Virginia portion of Assateague Island faces east and north across the Atlantic with Bortle 2 sky. The Tom's Cove area and the main beach access give open ocean horizons to the north and south. Darker than the Maryland section. The flat barrier island gives a 360-degree horizon with no obstructions. About 170 miles from Richmond via US-13 and the Eastern Shore.

The high Alleghenies on the Virginia-West Virginia border at 1300 m give Bortle 3 dark sky. Elliott Knob at 1362 m and the surrounding Highland County plateau face north. Rural Route 250 through Highland County gives access to dark highland positions. The area is sparsely populated and the ridge country blocks the light domes of Staunton and Charlottesville to the east.