There are a few natural phenomena that can stir a person’s soul quite like the sight of the northern lights.
Witnessing curtains of green, blue, and purple dance across the sky is a surreal experience, like viewing a real-world magic show.
In this article, we’ll do a deep dive into when you can see the northern lights, how they form, and how you can prepare yourself to see the Aurora. If the northern lights adventure is already gnawing at your bones, use this guide to plan your way to the heavens.
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, form when highly charged electrons from the solar wind enter the Earth’s atmosphere. As these electrons interact with elements such as oxygen and nitrogen, light is formed as energy is released. Keeping the phenomenon in mind is key to understanding when the northern lights happen. For Northern Lights, seek dark, cloudless skies during the unlit months of the year.
If you want to see the northern lights, you need to find the perfect spot. The northern lights occur most frequently in the aurora oval, a region of intense northerly activity. In other words, to see the lights, you’ve gotta go north.
What are the Northern Lights, and what causes them? Let’s shed some further light on that.
This much we know: you need the dark. Clear, black skies will amplify the drama. That’s why Aurora chases in the summer, when the banks of light, the midnight sun, dominate the landscape. It is an uphill battle, the colours are watered down. Instead, set your sights on the darkest part of the year. Late fall and the run-up to the winter solstice, when the cards are fully stacked in your favour.
The dance of the Aurora is governed by the sun. When the skies pump with solar winds or the geomagnetic juices are en fuego, the show will be brighter and bolder. To track the action, don’t just aim your gaze skyward. Promising displays often come in three parts: Watch the forecast with the same gusto as you cast a wide net when downloading the best Icelandic music.
As the leaves change, the auroras come out to play. This is your concentration, aura hunters. Much of September and October is considered the shoulder season, a photogenic babble of red and orange trees and likely a dusting of snow. But the temperatures can be manageable.
Game on. As we mentioned, the dead of winter is its own form of natural magic. Or at least that’s how we recommend travellers survey the landscape as they await the auroras. Winter storms aside, if you want to see the northern lights in Norway, Finland, and Iceland, you’re investing in some cold nights.
All good runs must come to an end. By the end of April, the passage of winter may outweigh the dark, especially as days ever so slowly creep back upwards, ice caps may thaw. But the nights are still long enough to see vivid displays and activities in the heavens. That makes snowshoeing, dog sledging, and other hearty pursuits perfect for the daytime.
Iceland is one of the best places for northern lights hunting, both accessible and rewarding. In fact, it is common to see the Aurora in the region around Reykjavik, so you don’t have to travel far for a glimpse. However, away from light pollution, accommodation is designed to watch the skies, and the chance to escape the crowds awaits in places such as Thingvellir National Park and the Westfjords. The best time to visit Iceland to see the Aurora is between September and April, when long, dark nights and the right weather indicators increase the likelihood of a sighting.
Norway is simply the land of natural beauty and, you guessed it, the Aurora. The fjords, snow-dusted mountains, and northern coastal landscapes are an icon for high-quality sky shows. If you want to increase the likelihood of a successful show, check out towns and remote corners such as Tromsø, the Lofoten Islands, or Alta.
Lapland, in Finland’s north, is a winter wonderland. The snow-covered forests seem to extend to the edges of the Earth, creating the perfect backdrop for the dancing aurora. With sleeping nooks like glass igloos and aurora domes to help you catch the best of the show, there are plenty of reasons to visit Finland during what is reliably one of the best times to see the northern lights.
Want to plan your aurora adventure? Check out the best places for Northern Light holidays.
Watching the sky for northern lights means hours of standing in freezing weather, so come prepared. Layers you can add, such as snow-proof boots, thermal gloves, and a warm hat, are your best friends. You don’t want to give a second thought to the cold when embarking on a northern lights hunt.
Don’t head out hoping for the best. There are some incredible aurora apps that allow you to view the skies in real time, watch solar activity, and detect cloud coverage to predict your chances of catching a light show. Before heading out, be sure to read up on the KP-index (a geomagnetic activity index) to judge the likelihood of spotting the northern lights. An app can save you hours of standing around in the cold and increase your odds of seeing the lights.
The best time to witness the legendary glow of the northern lights is when you’re photographing them, with Virgin Galactic pilots and like-minded adventurers in tow. To get that shot, you’ll need to use your tripod for stability, run your camera in long exposure mode, or make a time-lapse of the trails of colourful luminous light left across the heavens.
The northern lights are nothing short of magic. They’re a living, breathing, dancing, vibrant display of light in the sky just waiting to be snapped. The northern lights are created when a solar wind, a stream of charged particles released by the sun, strikes the Earth’s magnetic field, causing it to pull some particles into the atmosphere at high latitudes, giving off light as some kind of energy shoots off into space.
Ready to chase the Aurora? Find your organised Northern Lights trip and experience the magic with a group of like-minded travellers!
