When to see the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are one of those experiences everyone should have at least once in a lifetime—we can all agree on that. But to have a chance of seeing them, you need to plan your trip at the right time.
 

When to see the Northern Lights

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Northern Lights season runs from late September or early October until the end of March. Around the time of the equinoxes, Northern Lights activity is generally more frequent. For this reason, we prefer traveling in January and February, usually to Iceland and Norway.

However, traveling during winter does not mean having a guaranteed chance of seeing the aurora. It is still a natural phenomenon, after all. That is why, in addition to the season, other factors should also be taken into account.

• Weather conditions: forecast, cloud cover, and moonlight
• Light pollution: the fewer lights there are, the better your chances of spotting it

When not to see the Northern Lights

While autumn and winter are good times to see the Northern Lights, it is equally true that spring is one of the worst times of all: don’t even try, because it will be impossible to see them with the naked eye.
To be clear, the Northern Lights are a phenomenon that occurs 365 days a year. They are there even in summer, but it is not possible to see them with the naked eye because at these latitudes it never gets completely dark, and daylight lasts around the clock. 
Although rare, sightings can sometimes happen toward the end of August, when daylight hours begin to decrease and nighttime returns.
 

So now it is clear when to see the Northern Lights—and when not to. What is less clear is why you have not already set off with us in search of the aurora! You can fix that here by setting off on a TRIP TO ICELAND, or on a TRIP TO NORWAY.