Northern lights (aurora borealis): What they are & how to see them

What are the northern lights?

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are a spectacular, colorful display of light commonly seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere. Auroras in the southern hemisphere are known as the southern lights, or aurora australis.

Both the northern lights and the southern lights are polar lights, or aurora polaris, because they occur near Earth's magnetic poles.

What causes the different colors in the aurora?

Different gases give off different colors when they are heated. The same process is also taking place in the aurora.

The two primary gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen, and these elements give off different colors during an aurora display.

The green we see in the aurora is characteristic of oxygen, while hints of purple, blue or pink are caused by nitrogen.

“We sometimes see a wonderful scarlet red color, and this is caused by very high altitude oxygen interacting with solar particles,” adds astronomer Tom. “This only occurs when the aurora is particularly energetic.”

How Northern Lights are formed

when charged particles (electrons and protons) collide with gases in Earth's top surroundings. those collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colorful light. As billions of flashes arise in sequence, the auroras appear to move or " dance " within the sky.

 Best places to see the Northern Lights

Swedish Lapland.
Reykjavik, Iceland.
Yukon, Canada.
Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland.
Ilulissat, Greenland.

When is the best time to see the Northern Lights

the best months to see the Aurora Borealis are between September to April. For an uninterrupted viewing experience, journey to Hofdabrekka, near Vik in southern Iceland, and enjoy the show in mesmerising isolation.