Northern Lights
- Reykjavik, Iceland
The northern lights
Northern lights tours - evening activity
The Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are a natural light display in the Earth’s sky, predominantly seen in the high-latitude regions around the Arctic and Antarctic.
The lights are created by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth’s magnetic field and upper atmosphere. The particles are funneled towards the poles by the Earth’s magnetic field and, when they collide with atoms of gas in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, they create a glow that we see as the Northern Lights.
The Northern Lights are a beautiful and awe-inspiring spectacle. They can appear as a faint glow on the horizon, or as a bright, pulsating display of light that fills the sky. The lights can be many different colors, but the most common are green, yellow, and pink.
The Northern Lights can be seen in the polar regions of the Earth, but they are most commonly seen in the high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere, such as Iceland, Canada, Alaska and then northern regions of other Scandinavian countries. These are the best places to see the Northern Lights because they are the closest to the magnetic north pole, where the aurora borealis is most active.
The Northern Lights typically occur between 60 and 620 miles (100 and 1,000 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface. The height at which the lights are visible can vary depending on the intensity of the solar activity and the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field.
There are many legends and stories about the Northern Lights. In some cultures, the lights were seen as a sign of good fortune or a message from the gods. In others, they were believed to be the spirits of the dead dancing in the sky. Whatever the meaning, the Northern Lights are a natural wonder that have captivated people for centuries.
The Northern Lights are a reminder of the beauty and power of nature. They are a reminder that even in the darkest of nights, there is always something to marvel at and be grateful for.
In general, the Northern Lights are most visible when the sky is clear and dark. They are often best viewed away from city lights, which can interfere with the visibility of the lights. The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the winter months, when the nights are longest and the skies are the clearest.
The Northern Lights are visible in Iceland from mid/late August until mid/late April. During the summer months there is 24 hours daylight in Iceland and the Northern Lights can not be seen.
We do not book or reserve Northern lights tours days, weeks or months in advance. The reasons are that firstly it’s impossible to know if they will be active or can be seen on a certain day and secondly the weather and cloud coverage.
The procedure and if to to a tour:
When you fill out the “Request for agenda and costing form” you tick the box where you express your interest in doing a tour.
We are monitoring the weather forecast and the Northern Lights forecast. We let you know a day in advance or on the same day if we think the conditions will be right and we believe you’ll see the Northern Lights. Sometimes it’s best to do a tour and sometimes there is no need to do a tour – you just go outside and enjoy.
Here are the scenarios we are working with:
- No clouds and medium to strong Northern lights intensity forecast – no need to do a tour – just monitor the sky and go outside and enjoy.
- Partially cloudy and medium to strong Northern lights intensity forecast – tour suggested – we monitor the cloud coverage forecast and head for a area where there are less clouds.
- Partially cloudy skies and low to medium Northern Lights intensity forecast – tour suggested – we monitor the cloud coverage forecast and head for a area where there are less clouds. Need to get out of the city and away from the city lights.
Please notice: The Northern Lights are a Natural phenomenon. The Northern lights intensity forecast is science and is not 100%. Sometimes the forecast is for strong lights and they are not visible at all and sometimes the forecast is for no or low intensity and they appear and are beautiful.
What's Included
Since we do not book Northern Lights tours in advance we will charge separately for the tour.
- Transport
- Professional guide
- Charged separately
Nothern lights photos
Northern lights
We decide one day in advance or on the same day
If you can not see the stars you can not see the Northern Lights
If partially cloudy skies and weak/medium Northern Lights we plan a tour
