Unfortunately, there is no 100% guarantee of spotting the Northern Lights. Being in the right place at the right time helps i.e. northern Norway in winter, which is why Hurtigruten feels confident enough to offer its unique Northern Lights Promise. But there are forecasts available.
How can I increase my chances of seeing the Northern Lights?
Head north. The best way to see the northern lights is to head north. Most of the molecular activity that causes the northern lights happens near the Earth’s magnetic poles. For that reason, the Arctic region is an ideal location for hunting the aurora.
What are the chances of seeing the Northern Lights?
Thus, the propability of clear skies is 0.3. The math becomes that the propability of a clear night with northern lights is 0.3 x 0.35 = 0.105. In other words, to actually see the lights on any random night has about one in ten chance.
Where can you guarantee Northern Lights?
What are the best places to see the Northern Lights?
- Tromso, Norway. Based in the heart of the aurora zone in the Norwegian Arctic, the city is widely regarded as one of the world’s best places to see the Northern Lights.
- Swedish Lapland.
- Reykjavik, Iceland.
- Yukon, Canada.
- Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland.
- Ilulissat, Greenland.
Are you guaranteed to see the Northern Lights in Norway?
But even though you can’t take the lights for granted – it is, after all, a natural phenomenon, just like the weather – you are still guaranteed to experience magical light in Northern Norway all through the polar night.
Is 2022 a good year for Northern Lights?
“There will continue to be aurora viewing opportunities in 2022,” Steenburgh said. “The solar cycle is indeed ramping up and as solar activity increases, so do the chances for Earth-directed blobs of plasma, the coronal mass ejections, which drive the geomagnetic storms and aurora.”
What month are you most likely to see the Northern Lights?
November through to February offer the darkest skies and longer evenings for maximum sky-gazing. The strongest lights tend to appear between 9pm and 2am, though the best sightings often occur between 11pm and midnight.
Do the Northern Lights happen every night?
Auroras happen in every month but because they’re impossible to see against the super-light late night summer skies far up north, our trips to see them tend to take place when the night skies are properly dark.
Is 2023 a good year for Northern Lights?
There are no guarantees, but stronger displays are therefore more likely around the spring equinox on March 20, 2023 and around the autumn equinox on September 23, 2023.
Can bare eyes see Northern Lights?
Auroras appear to the naked eye as a very faint, white glow in the night sky to the magnetic north. Many auroras are totally invisible to the naked eye or can only be seen by looking at them indirectly, i.e. out of the corner of your eye. It is extremely rare to see them in colour with the naked eye.
Can Northern Lights be seen everyday?
No. Huge geomagnetic storms, the kind that can cause very intense displays of the northern lights, don’t happen every night, even during solar maximum.
How often do the Northern Lights happen?
Fortunately, they occur frequently. “The northern lights are happening 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said photographer Chad Blakely, owner of the northern lights tour company Lights Over Lapland (opens in new tab).
How long do you have to be exposed to the Northern Lights?
Keeping your shutter speed between 3-25 seconds will work very well for shooting the northern lights. When the aurora is moving quickly, try 3-7 second exposures. When it’s moving slower, or it’s not as bright, try 10-25 seconds. You can increase or decrease these times as you see fit, they are just rules of thumb!
Are Northern Lights tours worth it?
Northern Lights tours are great because the tour operators have been chasing the Northern Lights for years and can find the best spots for potential viewing even when there is low hanging cloud cover. Most tour operators will even offer for you to join a tour the next evening if you don’t see the Northern Lights.
What month is best to see Northern Lights in Norway?
The best months to see the Aurora Borealis in Norway are from late September to early April when there are more hours of darkness during the polar night. However, in this period September and March are statistically the best time since the solar activity that causes the Northern Lights is higher during that period.
Can you see Northern Lights in Tromsø without tour?
Yes, of course, you can see the Northern Lights in Tromso without taking an organized tour. If you have a car, make sure to check the weather forecast (local cloud radar would be the most useful to keep an eye on) and look for a nice dark place outside of town. You can also drive to several places on the same night.
How far in advance can Northern Lights be predicted?
As a naturally occurring phenomenon, the appearance of the Northern Lights is notoriously difficult to predict any further in advance than about two hours before it happens.
What year Will Northern Lights peak?
2025
The current solar cycle began in 2019 at the last solar minimum and the maximum is predicted to occur in 2025. Solar activity is already massively increased compared to just a few years ago and it will continue to increase—and cause more (and more intense) displays of aurora—through 2026 or 2027.
Why are the Northern Lights Going Away?
As the Sun’s activity slowly wanes towards ‘Solar Minimum’ – the phase in the solar cycle when sunspot energy reaches its lowest point – it’s understandable if Aurora hunters become concerned that the Northern Lights may appear less frequently or disappear altogether.
Which place has the highest chance to see the Northern Lights?
Tromsø
Tromsø is northern Norway’s largest city and is situated in the middle of the auroral oval, the area noted for having the highest probability of seeing the lights.
How do you know when to see the Northern Lights?
The best time to see the northern lights are on dark, clear nights in the winter months and close to a New Moon. Generally, from September to April are the best viewing months. To ensure you get the best from this natural light show, you should start gazing upwards several hours after sundown.