Chasing The Northern Lights: Everything You Need to Know

I grew up a bit sheltered in Mississippi and had never heard of the Northern Lights (at least it didn’t register as something of interest). So when my colleagues brought the idea of going to Iceland to see them, I was confused but also intrigued. The idea of traveling to Iceland had never crossed my mind and I had little interest in the Northern Lights. Nevertheless, I am always up for adventure and this seemed like the perfect choice.

Full disclosure, I did not see the Northern Lights on my first trip and I didn’t see them in Iceland. I probably should have gotten a few more details on where to see the northern lights before we booked the trips but that’s a lesson learned. It took me three trips to the outskirts of the arctic circle to catch this amazing phenomenon. Clearly I wasn’t doing it right.

In fact, you don’t have to travel to Iceland or into the arctic circle to see them. On a good day and under the right conditions, you can see the Northern Lights in parts of the US. Let me provide you with the insight I didn’t have on how you can experience one of the best natural lights show on earth.

What Exactly Are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights, scientifically known as the aurora borealis, are a natural light display that occurs in the polar regions of the Earth. This stunning phenomenon is caused by the interaction between charged particles from the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. In simple terms, electrons and protons collide with gas molecules near the magnetic poles of earth and release energy in the form of light.

How to See Them

The Northern Lights are most commonly visible near the magnetic poles, so your best chances are in the Arctic Circle (Northern Hemisphere) or the Antarctic Circle (Southern Hemisphere). Popular destinations include Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, and Alaska.

Additionally, timing is everything. To see the Northern Lights, you need darkness. That means that you have more viewing opportunity during winter months where you can experience up to 20+ hours of darkness. Generally, from late September to early April provides a higher probability of witnessing this celestial display in the north. Longer nights don’t guarantee a sighting. You also need optimal conditions: dark, clear skies.

The Northern Lights are most visible in areas with minimal light pollution. Choose a location away from city lights, and check the local weather forecast for clear skies. The darker and clearer the night, the better your chances of seeing the auroras.

So why did it take three attempts before I saw the Northern Lights?

First Attempt

For my first attempt, I checked two of the requirements for optimal viewing: Winter (November). Reykjavik Iceland. Living in Europe, a quick weekend trip to Iceland was an easy journey. We even hired a guide from Arctic Exposure tours to accompany us for the duration of our trip. Not just any guide. Our guide was a recognized National Geographic photographer whose book we found in a gift shop while out with him one day. Not even sure how we got this guy, but he was excellent.

Iceland is a nature lovers dream. With limited daylight hours we hopped in a hydraulically lifted 4×4 van and set out on our adventure. We started the day with a trip to the top of a glacier for some fun on snowmobiles. The outing started with a briefing where instructions included “stay directly behind the person in front of you and don’t go off the path or you could inadvertently drive off the glacier.” WHAT??!! Furthermore, visibility was extremely limited. Seeing more than 20 feet in front of you was difficult. So the second set of instructions “If you get lost, stay where you are and don’t try to find us as you could inadvertently drive off the glacier” made me want to go back inside and sit next to the fireplace. I was terrified and this was just fun before chasing the lights.

While there were a few flipped snowmobiles, frozen contact lenses and whiteout conditions we all survived to tell the story. Night came quickly and we drove to find optimal conditions for viewing the lights. It didn’t happen. The weather did not cooperate and the city lights were just too much to overcome.

Second Attempt

Disappointed that I missed the lights, the next year I tried again with a new set of travel companions. This time (winter) January. Tromso Norway. Tromso is what you think of when you envision the home of Santa Claus. Such a cool city. To view the Northern Lights, we planned two outings in the darkest conditions available in hopes of experiencing the phenomenon: Dogsledding and boat cruise somewhere in the fjords of the Norwegian Sea.

Dogsledding: What They Don’t Tell You

Dogsledding at night (for someone who has never dogsled before) is a bit tricky. The huskies are beautiful and they are so excited about pulling a sled. We were equipped with nightlights on our helmets and instructions on how to navigate the terrain in darkness. Dogs eating right before the ride led to some unfortunate smells and untimely bathroom breaks. And while the dogs knew the way, we did not and a sharp turn to the left sent us flying into the snow. It’s impossible to run to catch dogs in deep snow. Lucky for us, they stopped before getting too far ahead. While the ride was a definite adventure, we did not see the lights.

The second outing on a boat seemed more promising. Getting away from the light pollution of the city on a midsized fishing boat was a less physical adventure. However, it was significantly colder on the water than on land. I was not ready. And while we did not see the Northern Lights, the freshly caught Norwegian Cod was sooo good.

Third Times The Charm

Back to Tromso, Norway. February. At this point I am on a mission to experience this phenomenon that only a couple of years before I had never heard. With a few willing friends, we took the trek up to Tomso. The city is quite charming and beautiful so we spent the first day exploring. We secured a tour that included a 1 hour bus ride out to “nowhere” and the opportunity to live out a childhood dream of taking a reindeer powered sleigh ride. Before the bus arrived at the final destination, the lights began to take center stage in the sky. Mission accomplished. However, we had prepaid for a sleigh ride and had a few very friendly reindeer awaiting our arrival.

The Reindeer Sleigh Ride

Bouncing around on a sleigh in temperatures far below freezing in pitch black darkness was not as cool as it sounded in the advertisement. Deer skinned blankets, three layers of clothing and the best jacket I had (at the time) did nothing to protect me from the nordic freeze. I tried very hard to enjoy the magic light show in the sky but my body was not having it. My guide handed me his mittens and uttered a phrase that I will never forget; ” there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear”. And he was right. His mittens did the job that my Florida bought gloves could never accomplish. I learned that mittens were better than gloves because you benefit from natural body heat.

Finally after three attempts, I was able to enjoy the aurora borealis. Albeit, in short stints because it was still very cold. Lucky for us the tent nearby had a very warm fire and hot drinks to warm you up enough to withstand a few more minutes in the cold under the lights.

My View

Seeing the Northern Lights is a magical experience, and while it’s not guaranteed, the anticipation and the natural beauty of the Arctic night sky make the chase worthwhile. So get good gear, find a great guide and get ready to add and check off the Northern Lights on your travel bucket list.