The northern lights are an optical phenomenon of the Earth's atmosphere, characterized by bright bands of a wide range of shapes and colors, typically red-green-blue, called auroral arcs, caused by the interaction of charged particles of solar origin with the Earth's ionosphere.
Obviously, to observe the Northern Lights - the equivalent of the Southern Lights of the southern hemisphere of the Earth - it is necessary to head as far north as possible in the northern hemisphere, better beyond the Arctic Circle.
To observe the dawn the sky must be clear and, possibly, totally cloudless. It is also necessary that there is total darkness. The best time to observe the phenomenon, however, is between the beginning of autumn and the beginning of spring (approximately from the second half of September until the beginning of April).
The Northern Lights are an optical phenomenon of the Earth's atmosphere, characterized by light bands of a wide range of shapes and colors, caused by the interaction of charged particles of solar origin with the Earth's ionosphere. To observe the Northern Lights - the equivalent of the Southern Lights of the Earth's Southern Hemisphere - it is necessary to head as far north as possible in the Northern Hemisphere, better beyond the Arctic Circle. To see the aurora the sky must be clear and, possibly, cloudless. It is also necessary that there is darkness. The best time to observe the phenomenon, however, is between the beginning of autumn and the beginning of spring (approximately from the second half of September until the beginning of April), the ideal time is between 21.00 and 1.00.
Yukon, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali: these are the most popular places to admire the aurora in Alaska, an uncontaminated territory that with its 1,717,854 km² is also the largest state in the USA.
The Þingvellir National Park is the ideal territory to observe this spectacular phenomenon in Iceland. But in general, Iceland offers other unique beauties, including the immense glaciers, geysers and beautiful sunsets of Reykjavík, the capital.
Located off the northern coast of Europe, between the Norwegian Sea and the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, the archipelago of Fær Øer islands is a constituent nation of the Kingdom of Denmark. A trip here is an opportunity not to be missed to discover a unique place, where Scandinavian and Celtic culture come together.
Sweden also has good vantage points for the Northern Lights. In particular, it is Abisko the ideal territory, considered by many as the absolute best place to admire this spectacle. Abisko is located in Swedish Lapland and the park of the same name allows breathtaking views of the Arctic landscape.
The ideal places to admire the Northern Lights are those where light pollution is absent. The Lofoten Islands, in this sense, are a perfect territory. Located in Norway, the islands are located beyond the Arctic Circle and are also affected by the famous phenomenon of the midnight sun.
Norway is still the protagonist: Tromsø is commonly considered the capital of Lapland, also called the Paris of the North for its extraordinary beauty.
Overseas, Canada is also affected by the aurora phenomenon. The ideal area is between Lake Superior, in Ontario, and the tundra of Northern Canada. Also worth visiting is the town of Whitehorse, capital of the territory of Yukon, where every year snow races are held with dog sleds.
Let's not forget Greenland, the largest island on the planet. The ideal spots for the Northern Lights here are Kulusuk and Ammassalik.
We close with Finland. The Northern Lights Research Center warns tourists early when the Northern Lights occur. Here, you can watch the light show on a spectacular and unforgettable sleigh ride in the snow.