How to see the northern lights in Iceland: guide to aurora borealis
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a fascinating phenomenon and the main reason many visitors come to Iceland in the winter.
Witnessing their magical presence is a bucket list kind of experience, so it’s no surprise that winter visitors have high hopes when embarking on their trip.
However, several factors ultimately decide whether you’ll be able to spot the northern lights or not. Let’s look at what aurora borealis is and how you can increase your chances of seeing aurora in Iceland.
Northern lights above a road near the Golden Circle
What are the northern lights?
Aurora Borealis is not just a visual spectacle. It’s a fascinating natural phenomenon.
It comes about when particles from the Sun, emitted from a solar flare and traveling millions of miles, get captured in the Earth’s magnetic field.
The particles get redirected to the poles and collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, heating atmospheric gasses.
The colour spectacle everyone is so keen to see is essentially heated-up glowing gasses following the wavy pattern of the Earth’s magnetic field. The different gasses in the atmosphere are responsible for the different colours of the aurora.
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland?
The best time to see the northern lights in Iceland is in the winter, between September and April. This is when the nights are dark enough to see the aurora in the sky.
How can I actually see the northern lights in Iceland: four factors
Your ability to witness the northern lights will generally be influenced by four factors. Here is what you need to know about them.
Aurora activity
The strength and visibility of the northern lights are influenced by geomagnetic activity. The disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar wind, i.e. geomagnetic activity, is represented using a so-called KP index.
It ranges from 0 to 9, with 0 representing very low activity and 9 representing an intense geomagnetic storm. While the KP index can be one tool to understand what you can roughly expect, it’s important to remember that it may not be the most accurate predictor of northern lights activity.
A low KP index may still result in a wonderful aurora and vice versa. However, it’s nice to know that this exists and it’s good to be aware that the level of geomagnetic activity, and therefore the strength of aurora, varies over time.
Cloud coverage
Cloud coverage is probably the most important factor you should consider during your aurora hunting.
Because the northern lights typically form in altitudes between 90 to 150 km, it’s impossible to see them when the sky is completely covered with clouds.
The Icelandic Met Office forecast is a nice tool to see expected cloud coverage up to three days ahead. However, know that the weather in Iceland can change very quickly.
Even if the forecast predicts a night full of clouds, keep an eye on the sky and be patient. You might just find your window of opportunity.
Dark skies
Location matters, especially when the northern lights are faint and low on the horizon. That’s why you’ll want to find a place where light pollution is low. The darker the sky, the higher the chances of seeing the aurora clearly.
Beautiful green aurora pretty much in the middle of nowhere
Luck
You can learn all about the best conditions to see the northern lights but in the end, witnessing their mesmerizing display requires a bit of luck and being at the right place at the right time.
Make peace with the fact that you might not see them during your winter trip to Iceland. If you do, then you can only be pleasantly surprised.
If this activity is really on top of your list, here are a few things you can do to increase your chances of seeing aurora:
If you’re staying in a town, drive outside it to a more remote, darker location. No need to go far, a few minutes can do the trick. This can help especially if the aurora is weak.
If you see an oddly-looking cloud, take a picture. It might just turn out to be the northern lights! A weak aurora appears in shades of grey to the naked eye.
Best aurora is typically between 10 PM and 2 AM, within an hour or two of midnight.
Try out an aurora forecast app to see the best possible aurora hunting locations for that day and where others have spotted it. But don’t rely on it too much.
Stay in Iceland for at least a week to have more opportunities to chase the northern lights.
Can I see aurora with the naked eye?
One surprising thing I learned on our winter trip to Iceland was that aurora doesn’t always appear green to the naked eye. Instead, you’ll often see it in shades of grey, silver, and white.
This has to do with our eye cells. In the daytime in bright light, humans use cone cells to detect colour. But during nighttime, it is rod cells that detect the more faint light.
Rod cells cannot detect colour. And when it’s too dark, cone cells also no longer perceive fine detail and colour. This is why we see aurora in various shades of grey.
When the aurora becomes stronger and brighter, it is possible to actually see shades of green in the sky. But the aurora’s true colours are only revealed once you take a picture. Cameras do not have the limitations of the human eye and ss such, they can display the true colours in all their beauty.
The northern lights may appear for just a few seconds or a couple of minutes
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Seeing the northern lights in Iceland is a unique experience. While you can do certain things to increase your chances of spotting this amazing phenomenon, there is never a guarantee that you’ll see aurora on your trip. However, don’t let that discourage you! Perhaps you’ll have better luck next time.
Have you witnessed the northern lights in Iceland or somewhere else? What was your experience? Let me know in the comments!