Seeing The Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime, otherworldly experience. The Aurora Borealis is caused by collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun entering the earth's atmosphere. The result is a stunning glow that materializes in a colorful natural light display, visible only in the Northern and Southern Poles. However even when in the right place at the right time, travelers are often surprised that seeing the Aurora Borealis isn't as simple as going outside and looking up. There are three main factors to take into account to make your hunt for The Northern Lights as successful as possible.
1.) Time of Day
While it is occasionally possible to see the Northern Lights in the evening and early morning hours, the optimal time to spot them is typically between 9:30pm-1am.
2.) Cold, Clear Nights
Even if the Northern Lights are there, it is impossible to see them through thick cloud coverage, meaning that the best nights to see them are dark, clear nights. Often these are the coldest nights, since the clouds are not insulating the ground and air.
3.) High KP Index
The KP index quantifies disturbances in the earth's magnetic field. Since the Aurora Borealis is caused by geomagnetic storms, the ideal time to see them is when the KP Index is high.
Let our expert guides show you the Northern Lights this winter on a Fig Trips winter safari in Finnish Lapland.