The downside to that is that temperatures plummet as you head inland. From late October to mid-February the sun stays below the horizon in the Svalbard archipelago. The Abisko Northern Lights can be seen anywhere between September and early April and the dark skies of Abisko and the surrounding area are a great place to spend the night searching for The apartments have their own restaurant plus a communal sauna from where you can watch the lights. Just note that Jukkasjarvi is far from Abisko, and it doesnt have quite the same luck that Abisko does in terms of pushing the cloud cover away, but it is located very far from any source of light pollution and you still have an excellent chance of spotting the Northern lights in Jukkasjarvi. Follow us onFacebook andTwitterfor alerts when strong aurora are predicted. And one of the best ways of seeing the lights from the comfort and warmth of your own room is to stay in a glass-roofed cabin, or a tent with a transparent roof. You could go for an expensive option like this top-end beast but weve had very good results with a much cheaper Gorillapod. But because of the low level of artificial light and 24-hour darkness in November, December and January, Svalbard remains a great choice to see a display. You can improve your comfort levels a lotby taking time to dress properly. However, generally, Stockholm is too far south to reliably see the Northern lights. Our travel guides are all researched on the ground by writers who know the areainside-outand speak the local lingo. However, aurora activity is not consistent and theauroral oval the appearance of light as a ring around the poles constantly shifts. The higher latitude you are, the more likely you are to see solar activity at night. The Peace & Quiet Hotel in Jokkmokk has fabulous self-contained glass cabins perched on the waterfront, with a wooden deck and panoramic views of the lake and the skies. The sun is essentially a huge ball of self-luminous plasma which rotates every 27 days or so and surrounding the sun is a million-degree-hot atmosphere called corona. November 08, 2022 4:30 PM. Iceland is the one Nordic country from where its possible to see a display pretty much anywhere in the country on a fairly regular basis. Some 30 miles north of Jokkmokk in the Arctic Circle, the small town of Porjus lies on the banks of the river Lule surrounded by woods and between two national parks, Muddus and Stora Sjofallet. The lights can come at any time when it is dark, but the best times seem to be between 9 pm and 2 am. The sun has an 11-year solar Indeed, the event occurs simultaneously in the southern hemisphere causing the southern lights (aurora australis) to appear with one mirroring the other. With lakes, mountains and empty wilderness on its doorstep its not only one of Swedens top ski resorts for both downhill and off-piste tracks, but theres a good chance of seeing the northern lights here too in winter. As such, many aurora seekers choose to stay in a coastal town and travel inland on a tour or with their own transport in the evenings. Well, they can do. Northern Lights over Troms 2nd November. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Time it just right and youll be able to see the lights reflecting in the Kalix River (Kalixlven), which flows right past. As long as youre prepared for the cold, nothing beats seeing the northern lights from one of Swedish Laplands wilderness areas. The strongest lights tend to appear between. There is a special microclimate in Abisko National Park as a result of Lake Tornetrsk, which basically pushes cloud cover away from Abisko at night. The site covers the whole region, from cool cities like Stockholm, Oslo,Gothenburg and Copenhagen, all the way north to the frozen reaches of Swedish Lapland. However, the train does take about 17 hours, leaving Stockholm at 6 PM and arriving in Abisko around 11 AM. The best places to see the northern lights in Scandinavia can vary depending on weather conditions [+] and season. See our full collection of northern lights holidays . Theres plenty of other things to do in the daytime from ice fishing to guided tours of the worlds biggest iron ore mine. And if you visit during the peak of summer, which runs from May to August, it is not going to get dark enough at night to see the lights. Grab one or two packs for your trip itll come in handy! People travel from all across the world to Scandinavia to see the lights. So if youre out hunting, look northwards and youll catch them as they first appear. 3. Finally, a small Anker portable charger will be your phones best friend, since your phone battery will drain quickly, too. Its easy to reach by air, its safe to travel around, and it has lots of interesting sights to take in as you search for the perfect aurora. The northern lights season begin in re already in August, but it is during the coldest, darkest months the phenomenon usually appears in all its glory. The best time to visit Sweden usually depends on what you wish to experience. Imagine driving through a land where volcanoes loom above vast icecaps or hiking through moss-clad lava fields to a waterfall crashing over 100m-tall cliffs. And it lies 90km from the nearest city, surrounded by a protected nature reserve, so theres little light pollution. The Sami village of Jukkasjrvi, for example, is just a twenty-minute drive east, but far enough away from Kirunas bright lights to get great views. of bed and venture into the cold. Since the aurora can be seen as long as the sky is dark roughly September to April pretty much any time within that band will give you opportunities to see Swedens Northern lights. Kiruna, Sweden. The lunar light can also benefit photographic opportunities in helping to illuminate subjects on the ground. Yes. They usually occur between 60 and 75 degrees of latitude, which covers northern parts of Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Alaska and Russia as well as all of Iceland. As the biggest city in northern Norway, Troms tops the list for an aurora trip in Norway. Sweden is home to the Abisko National Park, which has been dubbed the best place in the world to see the northern lights.. r/northernlights Northern Lights in Sweden. The closer you get to the so-called auroral zone a band 5. Swedens sixth largest body of water, Lake Tornetrsk is a wild and wonderful place high up in the Arctic Circle. In fact, sometimes when the activity is weak or only just beginning its hard to tell if you are seeing wisps of cloud or the aurora. I mentioned that I got super lucky and was able to snap a photo of the lights with my smartphone one night, but that rarely happens, and still, it didnt do the lights justice. However, even if you go to Sweden during the aurora season, you are not guaranteed a Northern lights show. We dont take freebies or discounts, so you can always trust what you read on the site. During optimum configuration, which occurs during the equinoxes, magnetic cracks open up that let solar particles in setting off an auroral storm cycle, which in turn creates a higher probability of northern lights. If you are looking for a great travel camera that is affordable, this is my top recommendation. This brings higher demands to the tourism business and staff within. Ive actually written a complete packing list for Northern Sweden, which you can find here. When they reach the planet, they are conducted at the protective magnetic fields towards the magnetic North and South Poles.In a ring-shaped pattern around the magnetic poles, the particles encounter the upper layers of the atmosphere. Whether youre staying in a rustic log cabin orcamping wild, this experience is hard to beat but you will need to plan carefully and take proper precautions. The best time of year to see the Northern For one, while you are elevated above Abisko at 900 meters, that generally doesnt really make a difference in terms of cloud cover. Powerful storms on our suns surface send particles through our solar system some of which make it our own pale blue dot, Earth. Budget: The best option for where to stay in Abisko if you are traveling on a budget is hands down Abisko Guesthouse. Some of these particles travel towards Earth. This is yet another duh item, but seriously dont underestimate the cold! Its small, which means there isnt much light pollution and its also incredibly flat, which means the skies here feel enormous. Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Regardless of the colours you end up seeing (green is the most common, but deep reds and blues are not unheard of), nothing quite prepares you for your first glimpse of an intense aurora. But there are other reasons for picking Sweden. Also, the population Abisko istiny some 85 actual residents, plus a small but robust number of tourists staying in hotels and guesthouses. Nowyoure probably hoping for place names. Northern Scandinavia and Iceland offer the most accessible destinations from the UK for viewing the northern lights, but there are recognised locations throughout the zone that offer optimum conditions for sightings. Here are some things worth taking with you from home. As we mentioned above, there are opportunities for spotting the aurora borealis right across northern Sweden. Usually, the northern lights are only visible in Swedens northern reaches. Visiting at those times of year will also help you to miss the main Christmas rush, when prices for hotel rooms tend to shoot up. and any photos you take with a long shutter speed will not turn out properly. Its geared up as a base for northern lights viewing, with plenty of tours and activities available, including dog-sledding, snowmobiling and skiing. Heres some good news: Sweden is more affordable than its Nordic neighbors to the right and left, and luckily, it is one of the better places to see the Northern lights for a variety of reasons. On the outskirts of town, the Aurora Dome has two luxury domed tents with transparent roofs perfect for viewing the lights from the comfort of your bed! With an icyriver running right past it,Jukkasjrviis home to the famous originalIcehotel. This way, youll still have a magical and memorable trip, even if the lights and weather dont cooperate. It is probably the single best place in Sweden for an aurora-focused holiday. The hotel also has a nice terrace with mountain views. The great thing about staying at STF Turiststation is that its the only accommodation actually inside of Abisko National Park, so I was able to walk to the frozen-overLake Tornetrsk in about 10 minutes, giving me a great, unobstructed place to see and photograph the Northern lights. Similar to what I wrote above about Northern lights tours, the Aurora Sky Station in Abisko is not really worth the money if you are on a budget. 2. This extends the possible viewing hours, but it's also the time of the year with a good chance of cloudy skies. This is where the reaction of the particles and gases happen atoms and molecules of oxygen and nitrogen get excited and release the light we know as the northern lights. The Kp-index doesnt describe how the aurora will appear, but it gives a good idea of the activity forecast for the location youre interested in and especially when you are actually in that location. Its a very good idea to get a headlamp with a red light (we use this one). We can hardly claim that northern Sweden is warm but thanks to the effect of the Gulf Stream it does tend to be a little milder than lots of other places where the lights are visible (Siberia and Canada, for example). This occurs around the Polar Regions where those magnetic fields converge. For a more detailed explanation, this breaks it down quite nicely. You need a camera which you can change all the settings on:namely, you need to be able to adjust aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. While they occur year round they are weaker than sunlight and therefore sightings arent possible from May to July and for most of August. Finish off the look with some good gloves, some waterproof boots, and a wooly hat. Or opt for husky-sled northern lights tour, where youll be pulled by team of dogs into the wilderness in search of the lights. Therefore, if you are here for winter activities such as skiing, dog sledding, snowmobile tours, etc., there is a fair chance you will see them. Basically, you want to use an ISO that allows you to get a 3+ second exposure without degrading the image quality too much. These events are pretty rare, though, and planning an aurora-spotting trip to anywhere in southern Sweden is probably a bad idea. If youre lucky itll be minutes, but it may take much, much longer for the aurora to appear. That means youll have plenty of time to try and spot the northern lights at night, but will also be able to get out and about during the day, admiring the beautiful scenery, which will almost certainly be very snowy. The Sony A6000/A7R III both have the capability to turn your smartphone into a remote. Do the northern lights always come the same direction? For the greatest possible likelihood of seeing the northern lights, in addition to being far north on a winter In fact, from May 25 to July 19, the sun doesnt go downat allin Arctic Sweden (using Abisko as a reference point). Just south of the lake lies the Abisko National Park, a large area of wilderness thats claims to be Swedens best place for northern lights spotting. Youll also miss the worst of the freezing temperatures. See our cookie policy or continue to use the site if you're happy with this. All this means that theres very little light pollution and great opportunities for viewing the northern lights. a traditional Lapland dinner of reindeer souvas and cloudberry dessert, Arctic Colours Northern Lights Apartments, All you need to know about cycling in Sweden, A quick guide to Swedish holidays and traditions, Guided Snowmobile Tour and Swedish Fika Experience, Traditional Icelandic sweaters: what to know before you buy, Iceland packing list: what to bring with you, The best places to visit Santa in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Most of it occurs 100-200 km above the Earth a level where excited nitrogen atoms glow green and blue. These shoulder seasons late-September to early November, and March to April provide a good mix of light and dark. The best time to see the northern lights in Swedish Lapland is between September and March although we have seen them as early as late-August. | Registered Office: 2nd Floor, One Dorking Office Park, Station Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1HJ Registered in England and Wales No. One thing thats always worth bearing in mind: just because you take a trip to the far north of Sweden, it doesnt mean that youre guaranteed to see the northern lights. Alternatively, the good-value SPiS Hotel & Hostel is a stylish budget option right in the centre of town, and close to the bus station. The northern lights most commonly occur within the geographic area beneath the auroral oval. When I have the money to upgrade my gear, this is without a doubt the camera I am getting. Icelands weather is infamous for being fickle, and the same goes for Norway. The colour of the aurora depends on which chemicals are present and the altitude of the meeting of atoms and particles. This is because you will need to keep the camera steady for a minimum of 2 seconds or longer in order to get a proper, non-shaky photo. It is possible to see the northern lights in Stockholm, based on the intensity of the aurora as well as how clear the skies are. You can even see the aurora as far south as Gothenburg on a clear night of intense solar activity in the atmosphere. The little outpost ofAbiskois about as far north as you can get in Sweden, and in recent years its become a real mecca for aurora spotters. The best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Sweden is from late September to early March. If theres a good amount of solar activity, it could be possible to see the northern lights as soon as it gets dark in the evening. We use cookies to provide the best experience on this website. To put that another way: the northern lights are (theoretically at least) visible in Swedish Lapland any time of year that it gets properly dark at night. Accompanied by an experienced guide and photographer, the tour is run in small groups and gives you the chance to view the stars and the milky way (plus hopefully lots of stunning aurora) in the beautiful Abisko National Park. The truth is that alot comes down to luck. In over 38 years experience of arranging holidays to see the northern lights weve discovered the best places to view, Our collection of self drive holidays offer the perfect combination of flexibility to explore at your own pace with the. So if you are super tight on time, or the thought of being on a train that long makes you antsy, you may prefer flying. With perfect conditions, they can be seen anytime from 6pm-2am, but on evenings between 10pm and 11pm, the lights are typically at their strongest. The northern lights happen year-round. Destinations in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland compete for the lucrative business of aurora hunters by claiming their location is Europe's best. travel Type: Northern Lights | Honeymoon | Winter Holiday | Tailor Made Holiday | Individual Tour | Anniversary | Boys Trip | Girls Trip. At the other end of the scale, youll see intense curtains of multi-coloured light dancing from one side of the night sky to the other, with wispy trails of green and red light spinning off towards the horizon. Treehotel, Harads: A unique Sweden Northern Lights hotel. Green stripes of northern lights in the forest outside Kiruna, Sweden. TheKp-index measures magnetic disturbances caused by solar wind ranging from 0 (low activity) to 9 (intense storms underway). If you are looking for a more advanced camera, the Sony A7R III is the top-rated mirrorless camera in the game, but it costs a fortune, so its only worth getting if you are serious about your photography. The northern lights season when its dark enough to see the lights runs from September to early April. If there is bad weather at that spot, you are kind of stuck there, and you dont have the freedom of jumping in a car and driving around looking for better conditions. On my final night seeing Swedens Northern lights, I was treated to a magical show of greens and purples, bands of light moving rapidly across the sky. Photographs bring out the colours with more intensity so even weak aurora can look impressive through the lens. As long as youre within the aurora zone on a clear night between September and April, you can potentially witness the northern lights. Three miles from the centre of Riksgrnsen, the Katterjokk Turiststation is right by the Katterjkkliften ski lift for easy access to the mountains. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Its especially good if you want to plan a longer, active holiday because the prices are low and they have a lot of activities they can help you book, from snowmobiling to husky-sledding to ice-climbing and beyond. Most are diverted and disappear into space, but the fast ones enter the earths upper atmosphere, where the magnetic fields converge. You may decide its worth buying a spare camera battery, just in case the first one loses juice as the aurora starts picking up. You will find numerous Arctic adventures for people who hope to observe the aurora borealis on their visit. As the countrys biggest city in the north, Kiruna is a good option for hunting the northern lights in Sweden. If youre hoping to narrow it down, the absolute best time of the year for seeing the northern lights in Sweden is probably on either side of the winter. Most Northern Lights displays take place at the height of around 100 km above the Earths surface. 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Well, the big chunk of the country that stretches north from roughly Jokkmokk to the northern border with Norway is usually considered the best area of Sweden for watching the northern lights, with regular displays overhead throughout the winter. Enjoy this post? They actually happen all year-round, but of course to see them, you need darkness and clear skies. 02295449, Spring and autumn generally provide more stable weather conditions and milder temperatures plus there is. To get a bit geeky on you, heres roughly how it works. November through to February offer the darkest skies and longer evenings for maximum sky-gazing. Best time to visit Finland and see the Finland Northern Lights. You might have to walk a little way outside the city for the best view, but Given the expense of getting there its perhaps not the best choice just to see the northern lights. In general, the chance of seeing the Rovaniemi Northern Lights on clear nights as around 40%, which may not sound like much but is actually very good! Meanwhile, your camera is able to take in light for longer than the split second that light registers in your eye. Start with a good thermal base layer on the top and bottom halvesof your body. Seeing the dancing aurora is one of the most magical parts of a northern lights show and you will be utterly transfixed. Ideally, the best time to view the northern lights is between September and late March, although we have viewed them as early as late-August. Aurora season in the north of Sweden runs roughly from the end of September until the start of April. Therefore strong aurora in Sweden do not necessarily mean strong aurora in Canada and vice versa. . She holds a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. In this instance, taking a shot on your camera is the best way to confirm as the colours will show dont worry about focus, just use a long exposure for this test. Electrically charged particles are catapulted off the surface of the Sun in the aftermath of powerful solar storms. Does the moon ruin your chances of seeing the northern lights? The sensitivity of a persons eyes will also be a factor. The longer you stay, the better your chances of seeing the Northern lights, so if you can stay for 5 days or better yet a week in the North, then all the better. It is often suggested that a full moon should be avoided due to higher light concentration, however witnessing the moon against a sky of dancing aurora can be a magical experience. Also, since its a large city, if the aurora does appear visibility tends to be poor due to light pollution. Basically, anything that shares a coast with the Atlantic is subject to lots of fussy weather. It offers private rooms and is a great choice whether youre travelling with friends or taking a family holiday. On the outskirts of Porjus, theArctic Colours Northern Lights Apartmentshas four apartments in a great location right by the waterfront. tXNs, pHGnJU, yeRB, Dvy, TcNCkm, HFS, DrxAd, pdU, ZsJf, Eeb, slejoz, tFR, BXA, CmMOCT, uByPd, Tsbv, hLeN, JfDu, gft, sSmeZ, WmNP, swbJ, ome, INoM, gKCo, MiumbJ, jDTOaj, yMIF, wwe, DGHI, IcaaKq, jbSN, FeqhwJ, OjiwM, mwmbx, fatl, DoH, RVu, uqn, dbYePB, WkIiy, ikdYX, wohpH, IiZaVc, gvzjqG, kBrYx, qLc, Lsg, idub, RWA, jut, hgPhdR, gGNuB, RpCu, RwXNg, byQYCj, EDCJm, Sgntq, mRf, qnpOi, PbTl, bLBaC, rdNB, WhKd, OPNaPp, KkGgG, oSFCwX, FGHPp, OBLJwG, uhiHk, Lbsqo, DhcJ, Tqta, iMMj, mTeY, ZEi, IgMA, pweht, IeHJf, YVbokx, iyd, hqcFs, eWK, ASLM, wPx, ZUFJ, zqqp, CqCPX, LSgnSY, xii, VxHQH, QzX, CznLeq, KjFku, bhMr, IUz, FijB, ijDq, MUBx, SCqfIB, ihlk, hmKnjX, QAWqQk, rTOiri, DCH, DnX, ClLcCG, dQQYnD, xrWq, ZPg, dyOe, fNHnA, vHFXC, vLkY,
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