Do you dream of seeing the enchanting flashes of the sky with your own eyes? We will tell you how and when the northern lights appear. Learn about aurora borealis tours and places to see a unique sight in Russia and abroad.
Northern Lights Map
Map of cities and places in Russia and abroad, from where you can watch the northern lights.
How the northern lights appear
We used to say "northern", but the aurora also exists in the other hemisphere. Little is known about him, because Antarctica was discovered only about 120 years ago, and therefore the research time is short. The aurora is the bright glow of the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere, which is formed by charged particles of the solar wind.
It is a mistake to believe that it is associated with weather fluctuations, for example, severe frosts. A natural phenomenon depends only on the flows of matter that the sun emits. The glow occurs at altitudes from 200 to 400 km, but sometimes a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen glows at an altitude of 110 km.
Since the magnetic poles of our planet are different from the geographic ones, the aurora occurs at latitudes 67-70 °. Much less often it happens a little to the north and south.
Advice... Look for accurate forecasts of solar activity on astronomical and meteorological sites. If a magnetic storm is expected on the Sun, the likelihood of witnessing miraculous flares increases.
When can you see
The aurora occurs in autumn, winter, and spring. It is extremely rare in the summer. In the off-season and during the colder months of the year, the air has an ideal temperature and at high altitudes easily reacts with charged particles of the solar wind. In summer, the atmosphere is heated, so the desired reaction does not occur. The most likely to see beautiful flashes between the autumn and spring equinoxes - from September 22 to March 22.
Most of us are convinced that the northern lights only happen in the dark. This is not true! The "dance of the sky" happens at any time of the day, but in bright sunlight it is practically invisible.
In all its splendor, the colors of the aurora borealis, or "northern dawn", appear in the cloudless starry sky. After the sun sets over the horizon, the aurora begins ... Or it doesn't. It all depends on luck!
How to see the northern lights
What is visible... For observations, only one thing is required - to choose the right place, season and do not forget to glance at the sky from time to time. The dimensions of the northern lights are amazing. It stretches for 3000 km - across the entire sky. Only small black fields remain at the edges, and the rest is blazing with multi-colored lights.
Anyone who has seen the aurora is impressed by the speed at which the colors change. Blue flashes just sparkled overhead, and a second later the color changes to green. Sometimes red and yellow shades appear. Purple is extremely rare. The reason is in the chemical composition of air molecules. For the first time, purple reflections were seen only a few years ago.
The magnificent show lasts quite a long time - 30-40 minutes at a time. In some places, the glow lasts for several hours or even days. The miracle of nature is mesmerizing, and it can be difficult to tear yourself away from it.
Photographing and filming... In amateur photographs, the northern lights do not look as impressive as they do live. The fact is that flashes in the night sky are a rather dim phenomenon for ordinary optics. To get an effective photo and video, you need to have a sensitive lens, a large matrix, a tripod, be well versed in the settings and be able to take panoramic shooting.
Northern Lights Tours
Tours for those who like to see the northern lights are very popular in all countries of the world. The reason for the boom in demand is simple. The sun will soon enter an 11-year low activity phase. The unusual natural phenomenon will remain, but it will not look as impressive as it does now.
In Russia... Tour-hunting for the polar lights from August 20 to April 10 is carried out from Murmansk. Trips that are designed for 3-5 hours cost from 5500 rubles, and tours for 6-8 hours - from 7000 rubles. The participants are accompanied by a guide. Tourists are provided with a transfer from the hotel to the observation site, meals on the way and professionally taken photographs. Northern Lights Hunting Tour →
Russian travel agencies organize three-day photo tours of the Northern Lights across the White Sea. An active snowmobile trip starts from the Chupa railway station. Its program includes two nights in cozy cottages, three meals a day, guide services, sports equipment rental and a sauna. The cost of the tours starts from 21,000 rubles.
Abroad... Since the Norwegians consider the natural phenomenon to be a national landmark, they have turned Northern Lights tours into a real business. Tourists can stay in hotels with glass roofs and see the beautiful glow without going outside. A double room will cost 150 euros. Another service is accommodation in the ice igloos. In this case, guests are treated to hot mulled wine.
See the northern lights over Svalbard on a weeklong cruise. The sea voyage through the fjords is organized on a two-masted sailboat. It begins and ends in the Norwegian city of Longyearbyen and includes visits to Pomor museums and excursions to glaciers.
There are tours in Iceland from Reykjavik. Cheap travel costs from 50 euros are carried out by buses. Anyone who wants a real winter adventure goes for a jeep ride for 2,000 euros. The most popular destination for northern lights hunters is Akureyri.
Advice... If you would like to take a tour to see the Northern Lights, dress like a hiker: thermal underwear, fleece, warm winter boots, winter trousers and a jacket that protects well from frost and wind. Be sure to have a warm hat, scarf and gloves or mittens.
Where to see the northern lights in Russia
The latitudes where you can see the northern lights in Russia pass through several federal subjects at once - from the border with Finland to Chukotka.
Murmansk region... For 42 days, the polar night reigns on the Kola Peninsula, and darkness greatly increases the chances of seeing the heavenly glow. It is convenient to get to Murmansk. The journey from Moscow by train takes 30-35 hours, and by plane - 2-2.5 hours.
Murmansk is well lit, so for a brighter show, choose small towns and villages. Places where you can see excellent polar lights are Pechenga, Vidyaevo, Kandalaksha and Teriberka.
Northern lights in Murmansk
Khibiny mountains... It is good to see the Northern Lights from Kirovsk and Apatit. It is even better to observe the natural phenomenon from the Kuelporr recreation center, which is located in the central part of the Kukisvumchorr river valley. Due to the mountainous terrain, the chances of seeing the aurora in the Khibiny are high. But the tourist infrastructure is poorly developed here, so you need to agree on accommodation in advance.
Arkhangelsk region... An indisputable plus of the region is a large number of cloudless days. The Northern Lights are visible in Arkhangelsk. Trains run to the regional center from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Those who want to get to the place faster fly here by air.
To admire the colorful spectacle in all its glory, head to the northern districts of the region. According to photographers, the best pictures of the aurora are taken from the shores of the Northern Dvina.
Komi Republic lies in a latitude favorable for a natural phenomenon, therefore the northern lights are often here. In the capital of Komi - Syktyvkar - a faded glow in the sky has been observed since the end of summer. In order to see the bright overflows, plan a trip to Inta, Usinsk or Vorkuta.
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District... It's easy to come to Labytnangi. Trains run from the central part of the country to the city. There is only one drawback of traveling to Labytnangi - there are very few hotels here.
In the east of Russia... In order to look at the northern lights in Siberia, tourists travel to Yakutsk or Magadan. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the coldest regions of the country. In winter, the temperature often drops below -50 ° C. Excellent conditions for observation in one of the northernmost settlements of the country - Khatanga. People fly to Taimyr from Norilsk and Krasnoyarsk, and the road is expensive.
Advice... When traveling on your own, find out if there is an entrance to the desired village in the off-season or in winter.
Where to see the northern lights abroad
Norway... The inhabitants of the country are lucky, because the northern lights make them happy for 2-3 weeks in a row. All northern regions of Norway are suitable for visits, for example, the city of Tromsø or the North Cape. Despite the fact that this is the extreme north of the Old World, in winter the temperature in the North Cape is only −3 ... −11 ° С.
It is interesting to go to Svalbard for the shine. The local capital - the city of Longyearbyen - is located at 78 ° north latitude. Flights from Russia with transfers only. The glow appears every cloudless night from November to March. Choose a suitable location and watch the sky from 21:00 to 23:00.
Finland... Great idea to watch the northern lights in Suomi country! Finnish cities are connected by excellent highways. Tourists drive outside the illuminated settlements, slow down on the sidelines and enjoy the colorful spectacle with pleasure. This is best done immediately after sunset.
Sweden... Several years ago, the popular Lonely Planet named the world's best northern lights spot. This is the center of the Aurora Sky Station. It is located in a natural park near the town of Abisko. People fly here from Stockholm or Kiruna.
Alaska... Many tourists go to America to see the Northern Lights. The state of Alaska is isolated from the main continent by mountains, so it has a special microclimate favorable for seeing heavenly flashes.
In the southern hemisphere... Although a natural phenomenon exists here as well, the conditions for observation are not easy. The fact is that 67-70 ° south latitude falls mainly on the seas. To see the aurora, you need good weather over the sea, and this does not happen often in the south of our planet.
A great place is Stewart Island, the southernmost in the range of islands in New Zealand. In the Maori dialect, it is called "Burning Heaven". This is the southernmost point of distribution of the aurora. Oban, the only town on the island, has a population of only 322.
Advice... No one can give exact guarantees whether the northern lights will occur or not. In order not to get discouraged, plan other interesting activities during your trip. Go snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, steam baths, ice fishing or an excursion.
Personal experience of hunting for the northern lights in Russia
A group of high school students and students and I “caught” the northern lights twice. We didn't see it for the first time: we just went on vacation, and there was not a single day without cloud cover.
The second time we went, already realizing that we need a cloudless sky. And lucky.
The main thing. Find out the weather forecast as well as solar flares. It is possible on sites, it is possible through applications - for example, Aurora Forecast. If you are strictly limited in dates, then consider leisure in case of cloudiness - it will not be so offensive in case of failure.
The budget option is the Khibiny. It is easy to get to Kirovsk by train, bus or your own car. You can rent an apartment through Airbnb. If you want a sky without light from the city, go to the Kuelporr base for a couple of nights. It's completely dark there - you can see everything. However, Kirovsk itself is full of dark outskirts.
What to do in Kirovsk and the surrounding area? During the day, go skiing in the surrounding passes, for example, Ramsay, go downhill skiing, snowboarding or snowmobiling. Every year, a spectacular Snow Village is built near the city of ice.
In Kirovka, you can go to the Polar Botanical Garden, the Mineralogical Museum, the reindeer farm and go dog sledding.
From Kirovsk they carry on interesting excursions. We took a tour to the Kola nuclear power plant. There are trips to temples, to the Laplandsky Nature Reserve, to Murmansk. We liked the tours that Denis Rogozin organizes. They do not have extortionate prices and interesting programs.
Even if you're unlucky with the northern lights, it won't be boring!
