What is the Aurora zone?

The Northern Lights can be found in the “aurora zone” in the Northern Hemisphere. This is an area of 2,000-3,000km from the magnetic pole, or at a latitude of 66 to 69 degrees north. The closer you are to this region, the better your odds of catching the lights.

Beside this, where is the best place to go and see the northern lights?

Northern Lights, Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks sits in the auroral oval, a ring-shaped area around the North Pole, and it's one of the best places in the world to see the lights.

Beside above, what month is best to see the northern lights? Since it does need to be dark in order to see the Northern Lights in the sky, late August/September through the very beginning of April is the best time to go to a destination located in the aurora zone for a chance to see them.

Likewise, is 2019 a good year to see Northern Lights?

9, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. These destinations will inspire even the most experienced aurora chaser. The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are a spectacular natural light show visible at certain times of the year in the northern hemisphere.

How does the northern lights work?

The aurora borealis (northern lights) form when charged particles emitted from the sun during a solar flare penetrate the earth's magnetic shield and collide with atoms and molecules in our atmosphere. These collisions result in countless little bursts of light, called photons, which make up the aurora.

36 Related Question Answers Found

Where can I see the Southern Lights?

Here are the five best spots in the world where travelers can get a great view of the elusive southern lights.

Wilsons Promontory, Australia.
Cockle Creek, Tasmania.
Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand.
Ushuaia, Argentina.
South Georgia Island and the South Sandwich Islands.

Are there Southern Lights like Northern Lights?

An aurora is a natural electric phenomenon that creates bright and colorful light displays in the sky. In the Arctic Circle, they are known as aurora borealis or the northern lights, while in the Antarctic Circle they are called aurora australis or the southern lights.

Can you see the Northern Lights in Sweden?

If you're looking to see the aurora when it's not quite as cold or snowy, it is typically possible to see the northern lights in parts of northern Sweden through mid-April. Theoretically, as long as it gets dark at night and there is solar activity, you can see the aurora on any given night in the spring season.

Are the northern lights visible tonight?

If you've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, tonight could be the night. The Met Office has said that the aurora will be visible from parts of the UK tonight , including the North East.

How far south can you see aurora borealis?

To observers at far-northern latitudes, the Lights are a frequent occurrence, but many who live in more temperate climates have never seen them, even though they are occasionally seen as far south as 35 degrees North latitude.

Can you see the northern lights in England?

As these reactions occur at the magnetic poles this is why auroras are most likely to be seen in Scotland and the northernmost parts of the UK. The northern lights are best viewed away from light pollution, on long, dark nights and when the skies are clear and free of clouds.

Where can I see Northern Lights in 2020?

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.

Where in the US can you see the Northern Lights?

Alaska is the only state in the U.S. where viewing the northern lights is highly likely.

Is Norway cheaper than Iceland?

The costs of living of all countries within the EU are lower than in Iceland. That still leaves Iceland as the world's 15th most expensive country to rent. The only European countries where rent is more expensive than in Iceland are Switzerland, Norway, the UK and Ireland.

Is 2021 a good year to see Northern Lights?

This means fewer nights filled with the aurora borealis, an effect that will likely last until around 2025 or even 2026. You can see still the lights even in 2020, but it would much less frequent. With each passing year, the northern lights are going to be much more difficult to see.

Can you see northern lights in Alaska?

For the same reason, a new moon on September 17 means that mid-to-late September 2020 would also be a great time to go on a northern lights hunt to Alaska. According to the Geophysical Institute, the best time to see the aurora is at around midnight, give or take an hour. However, they can occur at any time.

Can you see Northern Lights in April?

To see the Northern Lights you need dark skies and from early-April until late-August, the Aurora may be blazing across the Arctic firmament but it is visible only to scientific equipment, as the skies are just too light for the human eye to see the show.

Can you see the northern lights in Copenhagen?

Theoretically, northern lights of Denmark are visible year round, however, your best chances are between months of October and March. When the weather is cloudless and the skies are clear you can see some of the most impressive aurora borealis there.

Where can I see the northern lights this weekend?

Where will the Northern Lights be visible? The Northern Lights could be visible this weekend in parts of Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. On the East Coast, the Northern Lights may also be visible in parts of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

What does KP mean for Northern Lights?

In order to know whether you have a chance of seeing an aurora, you need to know the level of geomagnetic activity at the time you are viewing. There is a simple index called Kp, a number from 0 to 9, which is used to refer to geomagnetic activity for a 3-hour period.

What causes the different colors of the Northern Lights?

What causes the colors? The colors most often associated with the aurora borealis are pink, green, yellow, blue, violet, and occasionally orange and white. Typically, when the particles collide with oxygen, yellow and green are produced. Interactions with nitrogen produce red, violet, and occasionally blue colors.

What time is the Northern Lights tonight?

For the latest display, the best time to view the Northern Lights is between 9pm and 6am.