Best Places to See the Northern Lights in Norway
Where to Watch the Aurora Borealis in Northern Norway
Jun 10, 2009
Since the aurora borealis, or northern lights, consist of solar particles interacting with gases in the atmosphere around the magnetic North Pole, northern regions are obviously the best places in which to watch the colourful light show. It’s best if there are no other lights around — not even a full moon — so rural places, away from cities, where there is little or no light at night, are the best backdrops.
Where to Watch the Northern Lights in Norway
The Arctic city of Tromsø is a good place to start a northern lights watching journey. The areas along the coast, from Tromsø and Finnmark, and the North Cape (Nordkapp), have been spots where the northern lights have appeared frequently. Lofoten is another good area in which to see the lights.
In Tromsø and Nordkapp, northern lights can appear every other clear night, with the chances of seeing them being greatest around 10 p.m. in Tromsø, according to Arctic Discovery.
Viewing conditions for the northern lights must be dark and clear — cloud cover will shield the lights from spectators. Viewers wanting to increase their chances of catching the lights in action may want to head inland and to inner fjord areas, where the Northern Norway weather in winter tends to be more stable, clear skies included.
When to Watch the Northern Lights in Norway
The best times of year to see the northern lights are spring and fall. Specifically, March, April, October, November and perhaps February make up the best viewing months, with the hours being between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. Spectators should remember to dress warmly and that the northern lights operate by their own schedule — their appearance is nature’s call — so travellers may want to consider staying in a northern lights area for a week or two.
How the Northern Lights Appear
The northern lights can appear as green curtains, wisps of purple, twists and curls of red and orange and hints of yellow. The colours depend on the type of particles in the atmosphere, and like snowflakes, each light show is an original. Spectators may well find their patience richly rewarded.
Northern Norway, particularly the area within the Arctic Circle, is a prime region in which to see the northern lights. This is due to its proximity to the magnetic north pole, where particles from the sun react with gases in the atmosphere to create swirling, curling and swaying rainbow-coloured lights that are best seen on clear and dark nights.
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