How to catch a glimpse on Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are one of the biggest nature phenomenons in the northern atmosphere. I have been guiding several “Winter riding and northern lights” tours at Íslandshestar and will tell you everything I learned over the years.

First of all I want to say that I would never recommend to you to come to Iceland only because you want to see the Northern Lights. This nature phenomenon is unpredictable and there is so much more to see in Iceland than the northern lights. I think it is very important to prevent disappointment as Iceland is a wonderful place. So see seeing the Northern Lights as a plus during your travel. But I can understand your wish of seeing them and that is the reason why I want to help you with my experience and knowledge to find them during your stay in Iceland.

1. You need darkness. Therefore: don't try to see them during summer as we have no darkness at all at this time of the year. Between September and March we have darknes but in September, and March the days are already very long.

2. You need clear sky in order to be able to see the Northern Lights. There have to be no clouds at all, or if the activity is very high only few clouds on the sky.

3. The sun activity needs to be high. They are a product of high solar activity when gas particles which are electrically charged enter the atmosphere. Fun fact: You can see this nature phenomenon also in the southern atmosphere. There the lights are called "Aurora australis".

4. Check the sky several times at night. There is no hard rule about at which time it is most likely to see them. The only demand: it needs to be dark. But we have a lot of darkness during the winter and I have seen them once at 8am when I was cleaning the stables in Reykjavik.

5. Northern Lights don't always appear in bright green colors. They start with a grayish color and only if the activity is high they turn bright green and maybe even orange, purple or red. So if you see a strange grayisch, long cloud on the sky take a picture with time exposure. If it appears green on your picture then it is a Northern Light that you are seeing.

6. Northern Lights are fast. If you see them and you want a friend to see them as well be fast to tell them as they can change within seconds.

7. Look into the right direction. While living the past years in Iceland I discovered that when seeing the Northern Lights at our farm they are always traveling to the same place. That means that with small solar activity there is no chance seeing them at some places in the sky. Only when the activity is very high the whole sky is green. That means for you: Don't only look outside of only one window because they could be already dancing in the other direction. Get dressed and go outside instead in order to check the whole sky.

Northern Lights Forecast

I hope with these tips and tricks which I am using myself you are going to be able to see Northern Lights during your stay in Iceland.