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Best time to see northern lights in iceland
Best time to see northern lights in iceland







Uninformed travelers often mistakenly believe that they can recognise the aurora borealis at first glance. On the other hand, if the index indicates a probability of seven or eight out of nine, grab yourself a handwarmer because it’s going to be a long night of Northern Light watching. In this case, it's better to stay by the fire and have a glass of Brennivín, the local brandy. A word of advice: if the index stays on one, there's no need to rush outside wearing your winter jacket. The official Icelandic meteorological service has a reliable tool that calculates the aurora borealis activity index on a scale from one to nine. Is there a weather forecast for the aurora?īefore setting off to see the Northern Lights, it is worth checking the Icelandic Meteorological Office website so you know the best time to see the Northern Lights. At this time of year, the sky is often clearer and the nights are long and dark, which means you have a better chance of seeing the sky light up, particularly around 5 or 6pm. It’s possible to see the aurora from September to March and sometimes as early as August to April, however, the heart of winter, which is around January, is the month when the chances of seeing them are the highest. Wrap up warm, because winter is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. When can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland?

best time to see northern lights in iceland

How should you photograph the Northern Lights?.Is there a weather forecast for the aurora?.When can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland?.Read on for a crash course in all things Northern Lights… If this is your first time going to see the Northern Lights, you’ve probably got some questions, like when is the best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland? Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. As soon as winter arrives, aurora hunters arrive in their thousands to get front row seats for the show. One of the best places to see them happens to be one of our favourite European destinations: Iceland. These color variations are due to collisions with oxygen molecules at much higher elevations, or collisions with Nitrogen molecules, respectively.When it comes to spectacles of nature, the otherworldly Northern Lights are top of the list.

best time to see northern lights in iceland

Rarer colors include reds, blues and purple. The most common color is yellowish-green which is caused by collisions with oxygen molecules about 60 miles above the earth. You see color variations depending on what types of gas particles are colliding. What causes the Northern Lights? The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Other factors are the phases of the moon it's best to pick a time when the moon is in its crescent and new moon phases as these create darker nights. First, there needs to be mostly cloud-free skies, this is the most common thing that gets in the way. It should be noted that there are many natural factors that might get in the way of seeing the Northern lights, so no tour operator can guarantee that you'll see them. This is mostly due to the dark nights during these months. While there are no guarantees that you will see the Northern lights and one could be treated to an amazing light show through the entire season, December, January & February tend to be the peak times to see them. Of course this coincides with dark nights, as opposed to the long daylight that accompanies Iceland's summer.

best time to see northern lights in iceland

The best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland are typically between September and April. In fact, just a relatively short drive from the capital city of Reykjavik, one can be in prime Northern lights viewing locations. Iceland, being a sparsely populated nation, has large expanses of land with minimal or even no light pollution.

best time to see northern lights in iceland

To see the best Northern Lights shows, you also have to be away from light pollution. Iceland being just a couple ticks below the Arctic Circle is just such a place.īut latitude alone is not everything. And for good reasons! They are a fairly rare and beautiful atmospheric phenomena that only happen, typically, at very high latitudes on Earth. Iceland's Northern Lights are undoubtedly one of the country's most popular natural attractions.









Best time to see northern lights in iceland