![]() In this period of time, no Northern Lights can be observed. Most Northern Lights locations are found at high latitudes, meaning there is no darkness from mid-April until mid-August (even more in far northern locations like Svalbard). Consider also that in winter there is little or no light for other activities during the day.ĭarkness is required. Statistically there are more Aurora Display in proximity of the two equinoxes. In short, good periods are between late September and late March. ![]() However, a bit of planning will radically increase your chances. There is no guarantee to see the Northern Lights, even if you are in the best areas. Northern Lights over Tromsø, Northern Norway The offset of the Pole keeps solar storms from benefiting Europe quite as strongly, but most of the countries of northern Europe will get displays during periods of solar storms. In times of high solar activity (more on that later), the Lights may be seen in North America at latitudes as low as 35 degrees north, the time to see the lights is 6pm to 1am meaning that all but the southernmost parts of the United States may get a display. This said, the actual latitudes of the Lights vary considerably. Still, there's a slight North American bias even today in your chance of seeing the Lights. As a consequence, the advantages of being on the "right side" of the earth are not as pronounced as they were some years ago. As of 2006 it's now near Ellesmere Island in the nearly uninhabited far north of Canada. But it is only the past few hundred years we (or ancient mariners to be precise) have tracked its movement in order to correctly calibrate their ships compasses. The magnetic pole has been moving for a millennia and more. But it is a great place to observe the fainter Day Northern Lights during its long Polar night and is a good choice during the solar minimum part of the solar cycle.Ī curiosity is that the exact location of the North Magnetic Pole varies from year to year, sometimes by tens of miles. Svalbard, which is about half way between continental Europe and the north pole, actually sees less Northern Lights than Northern Scandinavia (despite being so far north). Regions such as central and southern Scandinavia and the north-central United States as well as Scotland also occasionally see the Northern Lights during periods of high geomagnetic activity when the aurora oval expands further south than usual. As well as the western half of the Russian north (with the Kola Peninsula of Murmansk Oblast being the most popular viewing spot). The auroral oval, meaning the area with the highest probability of seeing the northern lights, covers most of Alaska, northern parts of Canada, the southern half of Greenland, Iceland, Northern Norway, Sweden and Finland. Northern Lights in Ersfjordbotn near Tromsø
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |