![]() Northern Lights over a Sami lavvu in Abisko, Sweden 3. We don’t want to be a Negative Nancy, but feel it’s our duty to tell you all these five 10 things no one ever tells you about the Northern Lights so you can set realistic expectations for an Aurora hunting trip. In the weeks leading up to our Iceland adventure and ever since, we’ve received tons of messages, comments, and emails from readers and followers about trips to see the Northern Lights. Wanting to ring in the New Year in Reykjavik because of the fireworks display of epic proportions we had heard about, the trip gave us another excuse to go Aurora hunting. I had seen them, but it wasn’t what I expected and I craved a more spectacular display. But it was cloudy, they were a white-gray color, and they danced for less than an hour. Finally, on our second night in Tromso (on the eve of my birthday) the Northern Lights finally made an appearance. We spent four nights watching for the elusive Aurora. At 78° North and just 600 miles from the North Pole, we were actually above the Aurora Belt. Read more about where to see the Northern lights here.Then Tim and I traveled to Svalbard in March of 2012. Understand more about when to see the Northern Lights and the affect of sun activity in the solar cycle here.Ĭheck out our range of unique Northern Lights tours here or clicking the image below. A Solar maximum or solar max is a regular period of greatest Sun activity during the 11-year solar cycle. ![]() But from 2020 onwards, there will be a slow ramp-up in solar activity, and auroras should increase in frequency, peaking in 2024/2025 with the Solar Maximum. You can go out on the lakes for Northern Lights viewing and many people enjoy this time of year.ĭuring the winter of 2020, the Northern Lights viewing was typical for a solar minimum year. Activities ranging from bike riding, hiking and watching for the Northern Lights by the lakes with openfire BBQs. If you are keen to search for the lights but don't want it too cold or with lots of snow, you can visit in autumn as well. Having said this, regardless of the daylight hours, we recommend also including a Northern Lights evening adventure during your stay - this can be as comfortable as putting on warm outfits and walking to viewing area with a warm fire and hot chocolates or an evening Northern Lights Chase by car. The day-light lasts longer later in the season, allowing for more outdoor fun in the snow. Late January, February and March offer longer daylight hours, thus more pleasant for venturing out for winter adventures such as snow mobile riding and dogsledding. During the darker months (November, December and January), you often only have a blue twilight and usually only one active adventure during the day fits in. You have an equal chance of seeing the Northern lights any month during the winter, it is just that some months are more 'visitor friendly'. The days around the full moon are also not as conducive to viewing the Northern Light because the sky may become too bright. ![]() When we plan your trip, we try to allow 4 - 5 days to maximise your chances and give time for storms or clouds to pass. In fact, cloudy skies are the greatest obstacle for auroral observations in northern Norway & Finland. The aurora lies well above the highest clouds, so you need clear skies to be able to see it. However, if the Northern Lights are strong enough, you may see them against a twilight sky, and it is not unusual to see them from Tromsø on an August evening. In practice, in northern Norway, Iceland, Greenland & Finland, you need to plan your Northern Lights tour between the period starting at the beginning of September and extending until the middle of April. The darker the background, the more magnificent the aurora lights will be. You might associate the Northern Lights with wintertime, although in reality they are present the year round it's just that you can't see them as well when the nights are light. Planning your Northern Lights trip and want to get the best advice? As we approach another Solar maximum period, solar activity will start ramping up, and auroras should increase in frequency, peaking in 2024/2025.
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