Tips for Chasing the Northern Lights

Seeing the Northern Lights is an experience that pops up on most bucket lists. I myself have booked a couple of holidays to chase down the elusive event, and have been lucky enough to view this spectacular phenomenon in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Ireland.

Due to their unpredictable nature, it can be difficult to pinpoint how, where and when is the best time to witness the aurora. As such, this article gives insight into what causes the Northern Lights to appear, along with helpful tips that will give you the best viewing chances. Also in the gallery below is a collection of my favourite Northern Light photos taken on my travels.

A couple posing together outdoors at night, with the Northern Lights visible in the background.

What causes the Northern Lights to occur?

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are a natural phenomenon caused by solar particles colliding with Earth’s upper atmosphere. Slamming into us at speeds of 72 million kph, our planet’s magnetic field protects us from the electrically charged protons and electrons, redirecting the particles towards the north pole.

They typically appear as green, red, blue, or purple ribbons of light dancing across the sky, and the display can seem somewhat unnatural or like something from a science-fiction film. But did you know the colours you see actually depend on the type of gas particles and altitudes at which they collide with our atmosphere?

Green: oxygen – 100 to 300 km
Red: oxygen – 300 to 400km
Blue / purple – nitrogen at lower altitudes

The lights also appear around the southern pole and are known as Aurora Australis, or the Southern Lights.

Best countries to visit

The Northern Lights are best viewed in high altitude locations across the arctic near the pole. In North America this includes Alaska and northern Canada, and in Europe you can typically see them in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and Greenland. On occasion when solar activity is high, aurora can be seen further south, which is why there can be rare events across Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The exact locations I have previously seen the Northern Lights include Kirkenes Norway, Kalix Sweden, Rovaniemi Finland, and Sligo Ireland (rare event caused by a solar flare).

Ideal viewing conditions

Time of year: the best time to see the Northern Lights is during the dark, clear and cold nights between late September and early March. Although they are present all year round, prime viewing months are September/October and February/March due to higher solar activity around the equinoxes – a biannual event when the Earth’s axis is not tilted towards or away from the sun, causing the sun to be directly over the equator.

Time of day: the highest probability of seeing the Northern Lights are between 6pm and 2am, when the sky is darkest and weather coldest.

Weather conditions: clear and little to no cloud cover is essential. Move away from artificial lights to dark, open areas that are clear of light pollution.

*It’s important to note that as the ideal viewing locations and conditions are during the coldest seasons with longer periods of darkness, you are likely to encounter subzero temperatures. It’s important to layer up and keep warm using heavy winter gear, and have a place nearby to have a break from the extreme cold (i.e. car or accommodation) during long waiting periods.

Helpful apps

When chasing the Northern Lights it’s important to be patient. Due to the unpredictable nature of the aurora, it’s recommended to stay in your chosen location for three to four nights, increasing your chances of catching a clear night.

Using forecasting apps to monitor solar activity and weather conditions can allow you to find the best viewing locations, and to keep warm indoors until the ideal moment. We recommend downloading the My Aurora app. Available in both the Apple and Google Play stores, the app sends you alerts when the ideal KP Index is reached and the likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights in your location.