What are the northern lights?

What are the northern lights?

The northern lights are a natural phenomenon caused by solar activity. They appear as bright, colourful curtains of light in the night sky — and they’re most often seen in regions near or within the Arctic Circle.

Other names for the northern lights

The northern lights are known by many names — the polar lights, the Arctic lights, the northern glow and even revontulet (which means firefox in Finnish).

The lights are also commonly known as the aurora borealis. You pronounce aurora borealis like this: a-roar-uh bor-ee-ahl-iss.

Aurora is Latin for sunrise — it’s the name that was given to the goddess of the dawn. Borealis is the Greek name for the north wind. So together, aurora borealis means “dawn of the north”. This is the name Galileo gave to the lights in 1619.

What causes the northern lights?

The northern lights are caused by charged particles from the Sun. These particles travel from the Sun through space. Some of them reach us here on Earth.

Our planet’s magnetic field deflects most of these solar particles back into space. However, some are caught by the magnetic field and driven towards the North and South Poles.

Here, they collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. The energy created by this collision is released as colourful light, which appears to dance across the sky.

Why are there different colours?

Earth’s atmosphere is made up of different gases. The colours of the aurora borealis vary depending on the type of gas that solar particles collide with. The altitude of the collision also plays a role.

For example, when solar particles collide with oxygen at lower altitudes, we get a green aurora. At higher altitudes, an oxygen collision produces scarlet colours.

Purple, blue and pink auroras are created when solar particles collide with nitrogen atoms. These colours are seen less frequently, only during times of intense solar activity.

What is the solar cycle?

The strength and visibility of the northern lights vary according to a number of factors. The intensity of solar activity is one of them.

Solar activity goes up and down over the course of an 11-year solar cycle. The peak of the cycle is called the solar maximum.

During this time, there are a lot of sunspots on the surface of the Sun. These darker patches, which can be the size of a planet, are a visual sign that a period of intense solar activity is on the way.

That’s because sunspots are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections — huge explosions that send solar particles hurtling into space. When these explosions are directed towards Earth, they can cause spectacular northern lights displays.

Following the solar maximum, solar activity decreases until we reach the solar minimum. Then, the solar cycle starts up again.

Southern lights vs northern lights

The same solar and geomagnetic activity that creates the northern lights is responsible for creating the southern lights (also known as the aurora australis).

The southern lights appear in the southern hemisphere, close to the South Pole. And they look and behave in exactly the same way as the northern lights.

So why haven’t you heard so much about the southern lights?

Probably because there isn’t much landmass around the South Pole. So seeing the southern lights is much trickier than seeing the northern lights.

Where can you go to see the northern lights?

The northern lights can only be seen in the northern hemisphere. They’re most often seen above a latitude of 66 degrees.

The best northern lights locations include regions of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Russia, Canada and the USA. But when there is a high level of solar activity, you can sometimes see the northern lights further south.

To have the best chance of seeing the aurora, you need to travel to areas with dark, clear skies — away from the bright lights of towns and cities. Here are some of our recommendations in the Nordics:

• Finland. The best places to see the northern lights in Finland include the countryside around Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Saariselkä and Ivalo. These locations are all in Finnish Lapland, in the north of the country.
• Sweden. In Swedish Lapland, Abisko is renowned for its cloud-free night skies and the beautiful scenery of its national park. Luleå is home to a spectacular archipelago, and Kiruna is nestled among boreal forest close to the famous Ice Hotel
• Norway. In Norway, head to the city of Tromsø, often called the Gateway to the Arctic. Explore the beautiful Lofoten Islands or venture further north to the remote and icy island of Svalbard.
• Iceland. You can see the aurora borealis across the whole of Iceland. But you have the best chances if you venture beyond the lights of Reykjavik to places like Vik and Hella in South Iceland, and Myvatn and Westfjords in North Iceland.

Can you see the northern lights in the UK?

You can only see the northern lights in the UK when there’s a particularly bright and intense aurora display. And you have the best chance of seeing the northern lights in northern regions, like Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.

Displays in the UK have been more likely in recent years thanks to the solar maximum. The solar maximum is a time of intense solar activity. It’s a point during the Sun’s 11-year cycle when bright northern lights displays are more likely.

When can you see the northern lights?

The best time of night to see the northern lights is between 10pm and 2am. And the best time of year to see the northern lights is from September to early April.

During winter in the Arctic Circle, the Sun rises for (at most) a few hours a day. That means extended periods of darkness and lots of opportunity for an aurora sighting.

That being said, you also have a good chance of seeing the aurora in September and March, around the autumn and spring equinoxes.

This is the time, twice a year, when day and night are of equal length. Scientists think that, during the equinox, Earth’s position in relation to the Sun makes bright aurora displays more likely.

What is the best way to see the northern lights?

You have the best chance of seeing the northern lights when you travel to places that fit the following criteria:

• In or near the Arctic Circle
• Out in the wilderness, far from the lights of towns and cities
• Under clear skies, free from cloud cover

The longer you spend in these places, the more likely it is you’ll catch an impressive aurora display. And on a northern lights holiday, there are plenty of ways to see the aurora in style.

How about snowmobiling to the top of a volcano or mushing a team of huskies across Arctic tundra, cruising the Norwegian fjords or relaxing in a hot tub under the stars?

In Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, you have an excellent chance of seeing the northern lights — and get to enjoy the best of the Arctic too.

Planning a trip to see the northern lights

Whether you’re looking for an active adventure or a peaceful escape, combine Arctic exploration and the northern lights on an Aurora Nights holiday.

The Aurora Nights team are northern lights experts. We plan northern lights short breaks, luxury trips, family holidays and escorted tours — and offer unparalleled support, from our first chat to your arrival back home.

Every aurora tour is tailor-made. So — whether it’s a last-minute getaway or a trip you’ve been dreaming of for years — we can organise your choice of accommodation, activities and little extras, making it a holiday you’ll remember forever.

Pack your bags for an unforgettable aurora adventure

Browse our northern lights holidays for inspiration.

Or get in touch with our travel experts to start planning your tailor-made aurora tour today.

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