When Can You See the Northern Lights in Norway
When you think of where you tin run across the northern lights, where practice you lot picture yourself? For virtually people, the answer is Norway! The first major northern lights destination in the world, Norway has warmly welcomed visitors in the cold wintertime months with the promise of seeing the aurora.
If you lot're considering or planning a trip to Norway to run across the northern lights, you've come to the right identify. At that place are lots of resources out at that place (Kingdom of norway iswithal a popular place to see the aurora!), but nosotros've distilled information technology all down to give you exactly what you need, and no extra fluff.
Read on to learn well-nigh when you lot can see the northern lights in Kingdom of norway, where you can see them, how to prepare for your trip, and popular tours you tin can volume.
This post was originally published in July 2018, and was updated in November 2022 for the coming winter.
What are the Northern Lights?
If y'all're reading this mail, youprobably empathize what the northern lights are, but information technology never hurts to have a quick refresher.
Briefly, the aurora is caused past particles from our sun hit atoms in earth's temper. These solar particles (oftentimes chosen "solar wind") are expelled by the sun all the time, and our atmosphere on globe protects us from them. When the solar wind hits the atmosphere, atoms like oxygen and hydrogen light up, emitting colors similar green, red, purple, and white. These colors are the almost common aurora colors nosotros see.
There are two names for the aurora: the aurora borealis (the northern lights or "northern winds") and theaurora australis (the southern lights or "southern winds"). These occur in their corresponding hemispheres, as their name suggests, but they are acquired by the same phenomena described in a higher place.
In countries similar Norway, where the northern lights are a prominent feature of the night heaven, the aurora has heavily influenced indigenous culture and folk heritage. Some of the more mutual tales include that the Vikings thought the northern lights were the Bifröst a pathway to Valhalla and the afterlife, or the glinting of low-cal on the shields and spears of the Valkyrie warriors.
When to See the Northern Lights in Norway
As Norway stretches from the 55th to the 80th latitudes, in that location is quite an amount of variance between when seasons change in northern and southern Norway. Spring starts earlier and summer lasts longer in southern Norway; autumn is shorter and winter lasts longer in northern Norway.
When it comes to seeing the northern lights, the further northward you can go to try and view them, the longer window of the agenda each year where y'all can hope to see them!
Fall (September to November)
Fall is the earliest flavour each year where you might see the northern lights in Norway. As darkness returns in earnest later the autumnal equinox in September, each night holds more possibility that you'll see the aurora – and you won't accept to stay up until 3 am to do then!
By late autumn in November – particularly in northern Kingdom of norway – you'll have a adept chance of seeing the aurora.
Winter (December to March)
Winter is the ideal flavor to meet the northern lights in Norway (similar to other northern lights destinations). From December through March, the nights are long in northern Norway… in some places, it seems countless equally the dominicus doesn't fifty-fifty ascension above the horizon between November and January!
With dark sky conditions like this, information technology's unsurprising that Norway is 1 of the globe'due south top aurora destinations. If the northern lights are out, you'll run into them! (Assuming articulate skies, of form.)
Spring (April to May)
Equally the northern hemisphere tips back toward the sun, spring returns to Norway each twelvemonth – with longer days and shorter nights. As such, yous'll discover information technology tough to see the aurora without staying upwardly until the middle of the night in April. Past May, the sunday has returned in earnest and there's not enough darkness to run across the aurora most nights.
Summer (June to August)
Similar to wintertime, parts of Kingdom of norway see "midnight sun" in the summertime, and the sun never sets entirely. As you can imagine, daylight is a less-than-ideal condition for seeing the northern lights.
From the months of June to Baronial, it is basically impossible to see the northern lights in Kingdom of norway.
The Best Places in Norway to Encounter the Northern Lights
Based on what yous've read so far, y'all tin can probably guess where the all-time destinations for seeing the northern lights in Norway are located: northern Norway. There are some places you can see the aurora in the southward, peculiarly in the dark heart of wintertime. Read on to see the full list.
1. Svalbard
Svalbard is a group of islands located betwixt the Norwegian mainland and the Northward Pole. This position gives it uniquely exceptional conditions for viewing the Northern Lights. In fact, it'due south the just place in the world where the Northern Lights can be seen in the daytime.
Here's a whole guide to seeing the northern lights in Svalbard.
2. Bodø
The city of Bodø is an first-class place to find the Northern Lights. Information technology'due south only a few miles away from the Rønvikfjellit mountain, which provides a wide open view of the sky at night. The city also offers tours that tin take yous to prime number viewing spots.
three. Tromsø
Tromsø is the largest urban center in Northern Norway. Despite this, you don't have to worry likewise much nigh light pollution interfering with your view. Its location on the auroral oval makes it an fantabulous spot to go hunting for the Northern Lights.
Curious what else y'all can exercise while visiting Tromsøf for the northern lights? Hither are 14 (other) things to practise in Tromsø in the wintertime.
iv. Narvik
The town of Narvik is a cracking place to become searching for the Northern Lights cheers to the many mountains and fjords surrounding it. It offers a number of different tours that tin can assistance you run across the Aurora Borealis. Ane of these will take you to the top of the Narvikfjellet mountain in a gondola.
5. Trondheim
Trondheim is the third largest urban center in Norway and is an splendid place to stay when you're trying to grab the Northern Lights. Mostly speaking, you'll take to go a little ways from the urban center and its light pollution to get a really proficient view. Notwithstanding, it'south possible to come across them inside the urban center itself two or three times a year.
6. Lyngenfjord
Lyngenfjord is a 50-mile (80km) long fjord that happens to exist a great spot to find the Northern Lights. It's also an incredibly beautiful region in the daytime as well. You lot tin can become canis familiaris sledding or snowshoeing in the day and wait for the Northern Lights to announced at night.
7. Senja
Senja is Norway'southward second largest island. It'south very well isolated from the lite pollution of major cities and has plenty of natural areas that offer a wide open view of the sky. Along with seeing the Northern Lights, you likewise have a great chance of seeing wildlife such as moose, seals, and eagles.
eight. Vesteralen
Vesteralen is an archipelago just northward of the Lofoten Islands. Information technology is far removed from the balance of civilization, and you lot have a proficient adventure of seeing whales while y'all're at that place. In that location are safaris available that can testify you the all-time spots for viewing the Northern Lights.
9. The Lofoten Islands
The Lofoten Islands are an island grouping with a surprisingly mild climate. Its position under the auroral oval also makes it an excellent spot to view the Northern Lights. There is a three-night package available where you lot can watch this amazing phenomenon from the condolement of a cabin.
ten. Nordkapp (The Due north Greatcoat)
The N Cape, which is located in the municipality of Nordkapp, is the northernmost point in Europe that can be reached past automobile. It'due south a very popular tourist destination and is a cute identify to lookout man the Northern Lights. At that place are tours bachelor that tin take you there by snowmobile.
11. Alta
Alta is the most heavily populated urban center in the county of Finnmark. In that location are many things to encounter and practise hither including canis familiaris sledding, snowmobile riding, and of course, watching the Northern Lights. In fact, Alta happens to be the location of the commencement Northern Lights observatory.
12. Hammerfest
Hammerfest is a large, northern city that'due south surrounded by nature. There'south not another town for sixty miles, so information technology's very easy to find isolated spots for viewing the Northern Lights. It'southward perfect if you're looking for a mix of modern comforts and natural solitude.
thirteen. Vesterålen Islands
N of the Lofoten Islands just south of Tromsø, the Vesterålen Islands are obviously another practiced contender for seeing the northern lights in Norway. In fact, most people travel by the Vesterålen Islands to visit Lofoten, but never take reward of this less-popular aurora spot.
fourteen. Varanger
The Varanger region is located in far northern Norway, nether the auroral oval. Information technology volition take quite a journey to accomplish this part of the land, just information technology'southward so far off the beaten path that yous'll exist rewarded with petty calorie-free pollution and epic overhead aurora views. Base yourself in one of the small towns along the Barentshavet and explore the Varangerhalvøya Nasjonalpark past twenty-four hours in between nights of aurora chasing.
15. Helgeland
Helgeland is a region in the southern office of northern Norway (yes, Noway is and so long that the unlike regions have geographic subregions!). It's located roughly between Trondheim and Bodø – equally both of these locations are on the listing already, yous know Helgeland is besides a good identify to see the aurora in Norway.
Can You Run across the Northern Lights in Oslo or Bergen?
It is geographically possible to see the northern lights in pop destinations similar Oslo and Bergen. Under the correct sky atmospheric condition in the winter, the aurora is visible from these latitudes.
Nevertheless, as is the case in most major cities, calorie-free pollution is the number one reason yous most likelywon't see the aurora from the Norwegian capital letter. Especially in the winter months where snowfall covers the ground and amplifies lite pollution, you lot'll detect information technology very difficult to get dark enough skies to see the northern lights.
Even so, if yous're open up to exploring beyond Oslo, you can become far plenty from the city lights in a 1-2 60 minutes bulldoze that you will have a much amend run a risk to see them. In Bergen, a urban center on the shores of a fjord, the low-cal pollution isn't as bad as in Oslo, so you lot may have a skillful take chances of seeing the northern lights if they're strong enough.
If seeing the northern lights is your #1 goal in visiting Norway, programme to visit one of the other more northernly destinations on this list.
Aurora Alert Services in Kingdom of norway
There are three proficient online tools for checking the aurora forecast in Kingdom of norway before you bundle up and head out to see the show:
- Aurora Service is a European website that pulls data from NASA's ACE spacecraft – a satellite that studies the solar air current. On the website, you tin see predictions and graphics for seeing the northern lights throughout Norway.
- Norway Lights is some other website that provides graphics to help you forecast if the aurora will exist visible. The tool works in close to existent time, so it doesn't show anything in the summer months.
- TheNorwegian Heart for Space Weather condition at the Chill University of Norway has several maps that help you forecast the aurora – including regional maps for areas like Svalbard, Bergen, Oslo, Trondheim, and Tromsø. Bookmark this folio for sure!
With these three sights plus some local knowledge (always ask the hotel concierge or your Airbnb host about recent aurora sightings!), you're well gear up to come across the northern lights if they're happening.
Another important point: be as flexible as possible in your itinerary, to give yourself amend chances to see the aurora. If y'all only have 1 night and it happens to be cloudy, you'll be disappointed! Instead, plan ii-3 nights to increase the odds of clear skies and good solar activity.
Popular Twenty-four hours Trips & Tours to See the Northern Lights
Information technology'southward an understatement to say you lot accept plenty of tour options for seeing the northern lights in Kingdom of norway. There are hundreds of operators with tours ranging from overnight trips to 7-day excursions (or longer!). Here are some to inspire you to start planning your trip:
- We've mentionedThe Aurora Zone in several of our aurora guides because they specialize in aurora tours effectually the world (and have loads of good resource nearly the aurora to read if you're interested in learning more than!). They offering ten itineraries in Norway, including a 3-night autumn trip from Tromsø, a v-night glamping feel, and a 9-day trip to celebrate the new year with northern lights.
- Visit Norway – the official tourism lath for Norway – endorsesFjord Travel Norway equally their operator-of-choice for northern lights tours. Some of their well-nigh interesting itineraries include a 3-nighttime Aurora Safari, a iv-night aurora trip including a stay at an ice hotel, and an 8-night aurora cruise through the waters around northern Norway.
In that location are plenty of other choices as well, so if y'all don't encounter a tour that sounds interesting to y'all here, you can find loads of other options online.
Take other questions about seeing the northern lights in Norway? Let us know in the comments.
Featured photo by Davide Gabino via Flickr
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Source: https://spacetourismguide.com/northern-lights-norway/
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