The sun runs on an 11-year sunspot cycle. You can see the aurora when there is solar wind but active sunspots make it more colorful. There are Ap's that alert you to intensity (KP index) and when they
Corona Aurora 1
A corona forms when two bands of aurora hit each other. They form directly overhead and last up to 3 minutes. If you look carefully, you will see the Big Dipper in the middle. Fairbanks, AK. 2015