Bradt
Andrew Evans
Andrew Evans
Sights & Places icon category

Iceland –Aurora Borealis (Norðurljós)

The Northern Lights (norðurljós) are just one of Iceland’s many outstanding natural phenomena and reason enough to travel there in wintertime. The lights glow green, white, blue, red, violet or even pink, and it really is something everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. The luminosity of the aurora is a form of fluorescence: solar winds cause electronic particles to enter the magnetic fields of the earth, typically in belts that form within 25º of the poles. The particles travel so quickly that they collide with molecules of atmospheric gases, which expends the kinetic energy in an emission of light. All of this happens at least 100km above the surface of the earth and is visible to the human eye in the form of a dazzling swathe of coloured light across the sky.

 The Latin name Aurora Borealis derives from the Greek goddess of the morning (Aurora) and the god of the north wind (Boreas). In Iceland, the northern lights are most visible from October to April, but they start as early as August. Every town in Iceland advertises itself as the best place from which to see the Northern Lights, though it’s a hard sell seeing as the quality of any sighting is completely unpredictable. Other than the state of solar weather, what matters most is cloud cover and competing light. An optimal viewing will occur on a cold, clear night, and in total darkness.

Thus, the farther north you travel and the closer to the winter solstice, the more impressive a display will greet you. Fortunately, in Reykjavík, there is one night a year when the entire city turns out its lights in order to see the aurora more clearly, and in recent years, Reykjavík has been known to turn off the lights in the evening more often for a view.

This travel tip is part of Andrew Evans’ ICELAND (Bradt 4th edition). Click on the banner below if you are interested in buying the book.

Discover more Sights & Places travel tips in Iceland

icon categoryIceland
Bradt
Grindavik

Never-Changing Grindavík

The charm of Grindav k is that it will never change this quiet harbour has always been a prize fishing village and always will be Watching the boats sail in and out of the harbour and the cranes unload giant crates of cod is comforting given the number of similar places
icon categoryIceland
Bradt
Westfjords Region

The Strandir Coast –West Fjords

Route continues northwards as a narrow dirt road that winds its way around the beautiful Strandir coast A few remote travellers rests allow one to migrate in short hops starting with the former herring station of Dj pav k The town gained fame in recent years when Icelandic band Sigur R
icon categoryIceland
Bradt
Northeastern Region

The Highlands, What to See and Do

Once you get to the shores of Th risvatn travelling south of the lake on Route F takes you into Vei iv tn or the fishing lakes If Iceland has a lake country this is it green growth crystal-clear water and about pools all of them kettle lakes from the glacier

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