The Sights Of The Aurora Lights

The Northern lights are a natural display of lights that sway, flicker, curl in the sky. The North Pole has the Northern lights also known as the Aurora Borealis and the South Pole as Aurora Australis. Most visible at night, the display comes from the electrically charged particles of the sun that had reached Earth’s atmosphere. The North and South pole has a weaker magnetic field, thus the particles are more present there and when they collide with gas particles, they emit the magical display of lights.

Typical colours that are showcased are greens, pink, yellow, blue, red, and violet. These magical lights come in many forms, from streams, scattered clouds, or patches that are equally inspiring.

Why do the colours vary? It is all due to altitude and oxygen molecules and ions at the time. The common colour that is usually on display is a pale yellowish-green that is produced by oxygen molecules located around 100 km from the Earth’s surface. While for example the red auroras are rarer and are formed by high altitude oxygen over 300km from the earth’s surface. The Aurora can extend from 80 km to as high as 640 km above the surface.

Where Can You See The Aurora lights?

The breathtaking Northern lights can be seen above the magnetic poles of the Northern Hemisphere, and the Southern lights can be seen at the Southern Hemisphere which also displays a spectacular view.

The best place to view the Northern Lights are in the Southern parts of Greenland, Iceland, Northern part of Norway, Scandinavian region, and North West of Canada. There are a handful of great places to see the Northern Lights, with each and their own unique sights and experience. The lights are more visible at higher grounds and typically closer to the magnetic poles.

Though the Southern lights have spots to view the display, it is still an astounding sight to see. The Southern lights can be viewed from Antarctica, South of New Zealand, and South of Tasmania.  

The Aurora lights can happen at any time throughout the day, but it is vividly more visible at night. The main challenge you may come across is cloudy nights or bright nights from the moon. If that is the case then at times like these, inland viewers can get a better sight.

Winter is ideally the best time to view the lights, and viewing from small communities that are far away from light pollution would also give better views. There are many apps and websites that can predict the light displays for best visibility, so make sure to do your research to avoid missing out on this captivating phenomenon.

There are many flights that can take you directly to the viewable spots of the Aurora lights and would not require much travel at all. There are also cruises available that offer a luxurious tour experience with loads of attractions along the way. From sights of whales to the Alps and husky dog safaris and more. There is just so much flexibility with travel options and destinations.

Each country has its own unique and beautiful perspective on the Aurora lights, no photos will really be the same. The lights won’t only be the main attraction to the trip, there are so many more activities to do in the region that the trip would be worth traveling to.

Bonus

This could also be the final decider if you can’t choose which destination to watch the lights from. There is a Wolf sanctuary situated in Norway that lets you enjoy the Northern lights with a wolf at the same time! Polar Park is a wildlife sanctuary with social-friendly wolves raised by humans. Visitors can get close and even cuddle them. There is really no better setting for enjoying the Northern lights. Do not try this with a wild wolf tho. This sanctuary is not only a great attraction but it also informs and educates visitors about the creatures and how they are endangered by hunting.