Will I See The Northern Lights In Iceland Tonight

Will I See The Northern Lights In Iceland Tonight – Emma Friedlander is a writer and editor. After earning a degree in history, he moved to Europe and continued to write about his favorite places.

2023 will be a big season for the Northern Lights in Iceland. Read about Iceland’s Northern Lights in 2022-2023 to find out the best time to see the sky in all its colors.

Will I See The Northern Lights In Iceland Tonight

Many people put off their trip to the Northern Lights until the “perfect” time to see them – whatever that means. But with winter fast approaching, there’s never been a better time to do it!

Frequently Asked Questions: The Northern Lights

The northern lights season in Iceland runs from September to April. The final months of 2022 are your first chance to see the amazing light show.

In 2022, it will experience a period known as a “solar minimum.” This means that the solar wind will dim the Northern Lights slightly. But that’s not a bad thing! The lowest levels of the day actually make the Northern Lights more predictable, so you’ll be able to see them more successfully.

In this guide to the Northern Lights 2022-2023, we’ll teach you how to determine the best time and best places to look for the Northern Lights this year. Follow these tips to see the sky explode in color.

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The northern lights are charged particles from the sun that collide with gaseous particles from Earth as they enter the atmosphere. They tend to form near Earth’s north and south magnetic poles. Iceland is very close to the Arctic Circle, and the success rate of seeing the Northern Lights is very high.

The most popular colors of the aurora are green and pink, but you can also see purple, red, yellow and blue. Lights cover the sky in various forms. They often fall like curtains, drawing transparent patterns in the sky, but sometimes they appear in saturated colors, or shoot into the sky like rays.

It all depends on the solar wind — and a little luck! Low solar activity can mean auroras appear for only a few minutes, but high solar activity can produce auroras that last all night.

How We Finally Found The Dazzling Northern Lights In Iceland In January

The first person to correctly describe the Northern Lights was a Norwegian scientist named Christian Birkeland (1867-1917). He organized expeditions to high latitudes and studied atmospheric currents that explain the nature of the Northern Lights. He has been nominated for the Nobel Prize seven times.

According to scientific explanations, the aurora is the tragic end of a series of events that began with the sun. These lights are caused by the collision of charged particles from the sun as they enter Earth’s atmosphere.

On the surface of the sun, superheated gas molecules are highly explosive. Charged electrons and protons occasionally leave the sun’s gravitational pull. During these solar flares, hot plasma is ejected into space and travels toward Earth. This is called the solar wind.

From Reykjavik To The North Pole, Here Are The Best Places To See The Northern Lights

When these particles reach our planet, they collide with the Earth’s magnetic field, which spins most of the particles. However, due to the irregular shape of the magnetic field, some particles will pass through the shield in areas where the shield is weaker, such as around the magnetic poles.

Upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, the particles combine with gas atoms, releasing energy and light. This is the colored light we see in the night sky. Some researchers claim that the reaction is accompanied by some kind of sound, but this can only be detected by sensitive microphones.

Auroras are not a phenomenon unique to Earth. Auroras also appear on Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn.

How To See The Northern Lights In Iceland

I’m not a physicist, but I can tell you that the Northern Lights are the most amazing evidence of the power of nature that you can see for yourself.

As the Earth orbits the sun, it is heated by the solar wind. When the solar wind hits Earth’s atmosphere, it bursts into crazy colors – the Northern Lights!

The sun goes through an 11-year cycle. At the height of these periods, or “solar maxima,” the northern lights become bolder and brighter. Then, a few years later, the sun relaxes into a “solar minimum.” The Northern Lights still shine, but not as much.

Northern Lights Guide: How To See & Photograph The Aurora (iceland)

So what part of the solar cycle are we in right now? 2022 is the low point of the day. It may not seem like much, but a solar minimum is actually a boon for northern lights hunters! While auroras are usually invisible, they are more predictable.

This is the daily minimum approach. The sun rotates on its axis every 27 days. At some point during this cycle, the sun unleashes a powerful solar wind on Earth’s surface. So if the Northern Lights shine today, there’s a good chance they’ll shine again in 27 days.

So what does this cycle look like until 2023? While we can’t promise, just know when they’ll be on display in the fall and hopefully they’ll be back within 27 days. Follow this handy aurora forecast website.

Things To Know For Your Northern Lights By Boat Tour In Iceland

Iceland is really not a good place to see the Northern Lights. This is the only place where you can see the Northern Lights from anywhere in the country other than Greenland.

To improve your chances of seeing the aurora, stay out of Reykjavik and away from major artificial light sources. This is easy to do as most of Iceland is unspoiled and sparsely populated.

Iceland’s most famous attraction is a popular place to see the Northern Lights. Not far from Reykjavik, you can admire the lights of Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The big mountains above the park are great places for sightseeing. The beauty of Thingvellir is only enhanced by the shimmering night sky.

Best Places To See The Northern Lights In West Iceland

Beyond the Reykjavik region, the village of Vík on the south coast reflects black sand beaches and the lights of the Atlantic Ocean. Further south on the coast, Vatnajökull National Park and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon offer tranquil Northern Lights viewing.

In fact, Reykjavik is the only major city in Greenland other than Nuuk where you can see the Northern Lights. Reykjaviks swear by the fact that they can see the lights from their bedroom windows during the bright aurora!

The most popular viewing point in the city is Oskjuhlið Hill at the foot of the Pearl Museum. Look for the Northern Lights on the 360° Pearl Observation Deck until closing at 10:00pm. Afterwards, meet at the trees of Oskjupäsä. You will forget that you are in a city standing under the night sky.

Iceland Northern Lights Tours Packages 2022/2023

A few miles west of central Reykjavik is the Grotta Nature Reserve on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, aurora haven. On clear winter nights, locals and tourists gather at the Grotta Lighthouse to watch the sky.

Yes! The Blue Lagoon is a great place to see the Northern Lights because it’s more isolated in nature. The geothermal pools are located in the desert of the Reykjanes peninsula.

If you visit after sunset, you might be lucky enough to see a green sky as you float on the murky turquoise waters.

Chasing And Photographing The Northern Lights In Iceland

As long as you visit Iceland when the nights are long (September-April), you have a chance. Our Northern Lights guides check the weather forecast every day and find the ideal spots for visitors.

Every winter month is a great time to see the Northern Lights. In order for the lights to be visible, the sky must be dark and clear. As winter approaches, the nights get longer and the aurora is easier to see.

You can see the Northern Lights from late August to May, but the best viewing time is October to April. The night sky will get darker, increasing your chances.

Iceland Northern Lights Holidays

If you really want a great landscape shot, get as close to midwinter as possible. November and February are great times to increase your chances of avoiding winter.

Around midnight is the best time to see the Northern Lights at night. Your chances are greatest starting at 10:00pm. Winter in Iceland is always dark by 2:00 am. You can see the Northern Lights at 8am or 8pm. The lights play when the sun is far away.

The Northern Lights forecast will tell you the level of solar activity on any given night. They took patterns of the sun and clouds into account to predict the likelihood of the Northern Lights.

When Is The Best Time To See The Northern Lights In Iceland?

You can check several different Northern Lights forecasts online. The most official forecast comes from the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Each day, the forecast gives an aurora score from 0-9. The higher the score, the better your chances of seeing the aurora. As I write this, the Aurora rating is 3 or Moderate. That means it has a good chance of being found. Maybe we’ll be able to see the Northern Lights tonight!

Auroras appear near the poles. The winters in these places are very long

The Best Places To See The Northern Lights In Iceland

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