![]() ![]() The offset of the Pole keeps solar storms from benefiting Europe quite as strongly, but most of the countries of northern Europe will get displays during periods of solar storms. In times of high solar activity (more on that later), the Lights may be seen in North America at latitudes as low as 35 degrees north, the time to see the lights is 6pm to 1am meaning that all but the southernmost parts of the United States may get a display. This said, the actual latitudes of the Lights vary considerably. Still, there's a slight North American bias even today in your chance of seeing the Lights. As a consequence, the advantages of being on the "right side" of the earth are not as pronounced as they were some years ago. As of 2006 it's now near Ellesmere Island in the nearly uninhabited far north of Canada. But it is only the past few hundred years we (or ancient mariners to be precise) have tracked its movement in order to correctly calibrate their ships compasses. The magnetic pole has been moving for a millennia and more. But it is a great place to observe the fainter Day Northern Lights during its long Polar night and is a good choice during the solar minimum part of the solar cycle.Ī curiosity is that the exact location of the North Magnetic Pole varies from year to year, sometimes by tens of miles. ![]() Svalbard, which is about half way between continental Europe and the north pole, actually sees less Northern Lights than Northern Scandinavia (despite being so far north). Regions such as central and southern Scandinavia and the north-central United States as well as Scotland also occasionally see the Northern Lights during periods of high geomagnetic activity when the aurora oval expands further south than usual. ![]() As well as the western half of the Russian north (with the Kola Peninsula of Murmansk Oblast being the most popular viewing spot). The auroral oval, meaning the area with the highest probability of seeing the northern lights, covers most of Alaska, northern parts of Canada, the southern half of Greenland, Iceland, Northern Norway, Sweden and Finland. It sure can help to have a seasoned local guide on your team when you’re tracking a once in a lifetime experience.Northern Lights in Ersfjordbotn near Tromsø We’ll share our favorite northern lights tours and northern lights vacation packages with you here, if you’re looking for a slightly more luxurious way to hunt. But don’t forget that there are many professionals out there as well that can give you a hand, especially if you’re crunched for time. Knowing the area and having some experience under your belt can be a help when you’re out there stargazing and trying to decipher a northern lights map. For the best northern lights images, you’ll want to bring along a tripod, and make sure there’s a cozy northern lights hotel nearby- because hunting for auroras is cold work. When you’re looking for the best places in Iceland to make great northern light images, it’s important to think about clouds, solar activity, light pollution, and darkness. (You can even see northern lights from space, so you can start to imagine how vast the opportunities can be!) This is great news, because it means you have a chance almost anywhere in Iceland. Once you know how to find them, what are the best places to go? This is a question we talk about a lot with fellow hunters, because auroras are constantly moving, and there is no one perfect spot.
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