Animal Crossing: New Horizons players have the chance to catch a glimpse of the rare Northern or Southern Lights. Here's how to find and view them.

One of the most unique features of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is its real-time game mechanic and special seasonal features. The game, like others in the franchise, uses a player's date, time, and location to determine weather patterns, seasons, seasonal critters, and other aspects of gameplay. In addition to some of these more expected features and effects, players can also experience Aurora Borealis or Australis, also called the Northern or Southern Lights. Some lucky players may have already caught a glimpse of an aurora on their islands, but many have yet to see this natural phenomenon recreated in the game.

Auroras occur in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres While auroras appear year-round in nature, they are best experienced in winter. Players can only experience auroras in Animal Crossing: New Horizons in the winter months and they will only occur for a few hours at a time at most. Unlike meteor showers, they are purely aesthetic and do not tie in with any seasonal gameplay. However, they can serve as the backdrop for beautiful, vibrant screenshots. Here's how players can see the Northern (or Southern!) Lights on their island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

When to See an Aurora in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Auroras are considered an extremely rare occurrence in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and they only occur in the winter months. Players in the Southern hemisphere should be able to start seeing auroras on their islands this month all the way through August, while players in the Northern hemisphere will need to wait until December through February. However, players in the Northern hemisphere are able to time travel or change their location to search for an aurora now.

Late-night players are in luck when it comes to viewing in-game auroras; the brilliant lights only appear after 7 p.m. and before sunrise, just like Celeste's arrival and meteor showers. Players wanting to see the aurora should plan for some nighttime sessions and keep their eyes to the skies on their island during this period.

How to Find an Aurora in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Auroras in the game are rare and random weather events, so there is no sure way to guarantee a player will see one. If a player misses it during a night, they won't have another chance to view it until the following night. The key to finding and viewing an aurora is patience.

Players should watch the nighttime skies in winter and search for pink and green light tones moving in a folding, wavelike motion. To do this, they will want to use the up arrow on the D-pad. Auroras could appear anywhere on a player's island and may not necessarily appear in the same place twice, so players will need to keep an eye out everywhere on their islands. There is also a chance villagers may comment on the aurora if it is visible, helping players figure out when, and possibly where, to look.

There is a rumor that auroras are more likely to occur on the pattern as meteor showers in the game. They are also more likely during clear nights. If a player comes across one, they should be sure to grab a few snapshots for their scrapbook. The images look striking, and, paired with some of the unique island styles players have come up with, may be worth a share on social media.

Next: Animal Crossing: New Horizons - How to Build the Perfect Snowboy

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available for the Nintendo Switch.