How to Maximize Your Chances of Seeing the Northern Lights
The Northern lights is one of the Earth’s most spectacular cosmic phenomenon and should be on everyone’s bucket list! We headed to Iceland for a lot of cool sightseeing, but the ethereal Northern lights were priority number one. Of course there’s never a guarantee you’ll see the Aurora Borealis, but there are plenty of ways to maximize your chances. Here’s some tips and our very own Northern light hunting experience that may help you find the elusive illumination!
What are the Northern Lights?
The Aurora Borealis (AKA the Northern lights) is a radiant spectacle of highly ionized particles that form brilliant colors in the high latitude polar skies. The phenomenon begins with a burst of energy from our Sun, and minutes later the collision with the Earth’s Magnetic Field creates a dazzling array of lights across the night sky. The Aurora come in all different types, shapes, and colors! Each experience is a unique and distinct occurrence that may include arcs, bands, ribbons, or coronas of radiant light. The most common are the bright green lights, while red and purple are extremely rare.
Where to Catch the Northern Lights?
To catch a glimpse of the celestial event, You must be near the Arctic Circle. Countries like Canada, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, and even Alaska! Iceland is one of the best places to witness the lights due to its location directly in the Auroral Oval; the epicenter of light. They are visible all throughout Iceland, even in the capital of Reykjavik! Of course, the more darkness and less light pollution there is, the greater the chances of visibility.
When is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights?
Planning a fall trip to Iceland will greatly increase the chances of viewing the illustrious Aurora. The best times to visit is between September and April when the lights become visible. May through August have almost constant sun throughout the day so chances of spotting them are virtually zero. However, the optimal darkness and precipitation are during the months of September and October. Here are some tips for greater success at seeing them yourself:
- Time – For a high chance of observing the Auroras, try heading out around Magnetic Midnight. This is the point when the sun is aligned with the North Pole at your position, usually an hour before conventional Midnight. Statistically there is a great chance to see them between 9pm and 2am so stay vigilant!
- Darkness – Obviously the darker your environment is the more likely you are to spot the Northern lights. Try to drive away from the big city lights and avoid as much light pollution as possible.
- Weather – Weather might play the biggest role in whether you’ll catch the lights or not. Any significant cloud coverage will drastically reduce visibility of the glimmering waves. Try looking for clear night skies to maximize your chances.
- Dress Warmly – Stargazing in the cold Icelandic Autumn/Winter can be difficult without the right gear. Be sure to wear plenty of layers plus warm socks and gloves so you won’t be tempted to call it in early. Also warm beverages will definitely help out while hunting them down!
- Length of Stay – The longer your vacation is, the higher likelihood of you seeing the lights! I would recommend staying for at least 7-10 days.
- Solar Activity – Space weather also plays a key role in Northern light observation. Be sure to stay updated on solar storms and other big events to optimize best viewing opportunities! Stay updated on the Aurora forecast so you know which night is the best to spot them too! Locals are a great resource in staying aware of visual probabilities.
- Patience – It’s important to avoid the embrace of despair and not give up hope! It may take a while for the celestial luminescence to appear, but the moment they do is truly magical. Remain patient with your eyes on the sky.
How to Read the Aurora Forecast
Your main tool in the hunt for the Northern lights will be the Aurora Forecast website. This Meteorological map displays the entire map of Iceland and the cloud overcast for a specific date and time (usually 3 days). You can change the display to the day you desire by sliding the bar. Make sure the top tab is selected to low & Mid-level clouds since those primarily affect visibility. The green is BAD, while white means clear skies. The 9-point scale in the upper right depicts the Kp-Index for forecasted Aurora activity. Contrary to common misconceptions, the Aurora borealis should be visible as long as it’s above a 0. Here are what the levels indicate:
- 0: No activity just stay home.
- 1: Low activity. Barely visible but may look like pale clouds.
- 2: Quiet Activity: Visible and activity becomes brighter and more dynamic. Still worth going out for.
- 3: Moderate Activity. Activity is unsettled and bright colors visible at zenith.
- 4: Active. Auroras are bright and constant with dynamic movements.
- 5: Minor Storm. Bright, constant, and colorful Aurora begin to appear.
- 6: Moderate Storm. Very bright, dynamic, and colorful Aurora display for a memorable show.
- 7: Strong Storm. Extremely Bright, dynamic, and colorful Auroras that are visible in the Southern sky. Coronae is very likely.
- 8: Severe Storm. Super Bright, dynamic, and colorful Auroras that can be seen around 50° latitude.
- 9: Intense Storm. Godlike brightness. Aurora can be seen around 40° latitude. Red Aurora and Coronae very likely. Mainly caused by Coronal Mass Ejections.
The most common occurrence for Aurora forecasts are 2-3 which are still fantastic. Anything in the 7-9 range are highly unusual events, maybe all your friends back home would see them too! You never know how the solar winds will be reacting so just stay persistent and check on them often! The Hello Aurora app can is another great resource to track them down.
Our Solo Northern Lights Hunting Experience!
It had already been a few days exploring the beautiful Icelandic Landscapes with no signs of cosmic activity. The days were a mix of sporadic snow showers and brief instances of sunshine. Each night the activity was forecasted at a 2 or 3 but with so much cloud coverage that nothing was visible. After hearing a few stories of all the tourists that left disappointed, I began to get discouraged at our unfavorable odds.
We rented a car and were on an epic Icelandic road trip, so booking a guided tour was a bit inconvenient. It was the day we arrived at the Golden Circle when fortune began to smile upon us. Despite pretty heavy snow and rain, one of our tour guides on the Silfra snorkeling experience told us tonight would be a great opportunity to catch the lights. I was a bit skeptical at first but became more hopeful as a few clear patches of sky became visible. Luckily we were staying in Selfoss, about an hour away from Reykjavik, so there was very little light pollution from the city. We drove out beyond our Airbnb neighborhood until we reached a dark road surrounded by farmland.
It was around 10:55pm and pretty chilly but at least there were some clear skies above and stars were visible. Suddenly after about 30minutes around 11:27pm, A faint green glow began to appear. The green ribbon’s luminosity grew as the Aurora stretched across the sky. A feeling of euphoria and pure joy swept over us like rain as the Northern lights began glimmering above us. The brilliance of the divine glow was truly captivating as it danced across the sky. Finally the long awaited bucket list item could be checked off! It was a full Moon which surprisingly didn’t affect our ability to see the Aurora.
The first instance was very active, but the radiance began to fade after about 20minutes. Our eyes remained fixated at the sky, desperate for another glimpse of the gleaming magnificence of the Aurora Borealis. They started to appear in different locations in the sky, with various shapes and sizes flickering in and out of existence. Captivated by the shining waves of light, we stayed out till about 2am. There were a few instances of just scanning the sky while we waited for their reappearance.
It was pretty cold by the end of the night so I was grateful I wore multiple layers. It was an incredible experience and am glad my phone camera was good enough to capture the astrophotography ( I have a Pixel 4A, but I think the later Iphones can capture it too). The Kp-index was a 4, so we were super lucky to be blessed with a memorable opportunity. The rest of the week had such a heavy overcast, the Northern Lights weren’t visible at all.
Should You Book a Tour or go Solo?
This is dependent on whether you plan on renting a car for a road trip or decide to stay within the city. Each has its own benefits. If you sign up for a Northern lights tour, you will have insightful information, meet new friends, and don’t have to worry about driving out of the city. The downside to a tour is the expensive price, and being bounded by the time limitations of the group. Hunting on your own will give you the freedom of choosing where and for how long you stay out, and of course is free. The downside is you’ll need to rent a car and drive yourself to a dark location.
There are various excursion options including a minibus, super jeep, and even a Northern lights cruise! I decided to try my luck once more on my last night in the city with a cruise. It was quite expensive, but there was a ton of information and great people to meet. The ship departed from the Old Reykjavik Harbor. It was extremely cloudy, so we only saw them for about 5 minutes before they were shrouded by dark clouds. The cool thing about booking a tour is if the Aurora don’t show up, you can re-schedule the hunt for another night! Just make sure to reserve the initial guide at the beginning of your trip for more opportunities.
The phantasmal Northern lights are an experience of a lifetime. The Aurora Borealis elevated our Iceland trip to the next level. The dreamlike instant of finally catching them is worth the struggle of hunting them down. It takes a bit of luck, but as long as you stay persistent the winds of fate should reward you. For all the essential items and entry requirements on preparing a trip to Iceland, check out this travel vlog. If you’re interested in learning everything there is to know about the Northern lights, check out the interactive Aurora Reykjavik museum! Stay tuned for even more marvelous adventures through the Land of Fire and Ice! Until then, thanks for reading and keep leveling up!
Here’s our Northern Lights hunting vlog!
