As we sail towards the Arctic Circle, your chance of seeing the Northern Lights improves, but there are a lot of factors to consider when hunting the lights. Read our Northern Lights FAQ and learn how you can increase your chances of catching a glimpse of this awe-inspiring light show in the sky. Get unique insight and knowledge about the Arctic sky and the greatest lightshow on Earth, the Aurora Borealis, on the popular Astronomy Voyage along the mesmerising Norwegian Coast. This limited voyage is accompanied by special lecturers - experts on astronomy and expeditions to see the Northern Lights.
Read more about our Astronomy Voyage. Covid Updated information. Hurtigruten Group Go to Hurtigruten Expeditions. Go to Norwegian Coastal Express. What causes the Northern Lights? What's the story behind the Northern Lights? Watch the video to find out. See the Northern Lights with Hurtigruten Get unique insight and knowledge about the Arctic sky and the greatest lightshow on Earth, the Aurora Borealis, on the popular Astronomy Voyage along the mesmerising Norwegian Coast. The lowest part of an aurora is typically around 80 miles above the Earth's surface.
However, the top of a display may extend several thousand miles above the Earth. Different gases give off different colours when they are heated. The same process is also taking place in the aurora. The green we see in the aurora is characteristic of oxygen, while hints of purple, blue or pink are caused by nitrogen.
How to photograph the aurora. The aurora borealis can be seen in the northern hemisphere, while the aurora australis is found in the southern hemisphere. While the best places to see the aurora are concentrated around the polar regions, the aurora borealis can sometimes be seen in the UK. The further north you are the more likely you are to see the display, but in the past the northern lights have been seen as far south as Cornwall and Kent.
Lancaster University's Department of Physics runs a website called AuroraWatch UK , which estimates the likelihood of an aurora being visible based on geomagnetic activity.
Follow the team's Twitter account to see the latest UK alerts. The conditions do still need to be right however. Dark and clear nights, preferably with little light pollution, offer the best chance of seeing the aurora.
Any planet with an atmosphere and magnetic field is likely to have aurorae. Scientists have captured incredible images of aurorae on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Aurorae on Mars have also been seen, but as the 'red planet' does not have a global magnetic field, aurorae behave differently and appear to be far more widespread.
Solar flares are like enormous explosions on the surface of the Sun in which streams of charged particles are emitted into space. It typically takes two days after the flare is seen on the Sun for the particles to reach Earth. Our advice is not to get too focused on which part of cycle we are in as there are too many other variables including weather and cloud cover.
The Kp-index measures magnetic disturbances caused by solar wind ranging from 0 low activity to 9 intense storms underway. For instance, looking at both the Kp-index and weather forecast may help planning your evening activities over your break. Even a Kp index of 2 or 3 can produce beautiful auroras, but it gets exciting at 4 and above! The colour of the aurora depends on which chemicals are present and the altitude of the meeting of atoms and particles.
Displays can vary in intensity — from a glowing curtain of greenish yellow lights, dancing in the distance to a spectacular, multi-coloured fusion stretching across the sky.
Most people lucky enough to see the aurora witness a display of green lights but if you are really lucky then that display might be yellow and red, or even multi-coloured. The differences depend on two main factors: what type of gas is reacting with the solar particles and at what altitude this activity is taking place. And above km, oxygen atoms glow red when reacting with charged particles from the sun. There is a huge amount of activity that goes on during the aurora and all of the forces reacting cause constant shifts and flows which look like the aurora is dancing as it travels along the currents of the atmosphere.
Sometimes the displays are delicate and subtle — strands of phosphorescent green flirting with the stars — or you might see the northern lights in full flow when rippling banners of green and red pulse overhead.
Seeing the dancing aurora is one of the most magical parts of a northern lights show and you will be utterly transfixed. It is often suggested that a full moon should be avoided due to higher light concentration, however witnessing the moon against a sky of dancing aurora can be a magical experience. The lunar light can also benefit photographic opportunities in helping to illuminate subjects on the ground. During a new moon the sky is darker, given the perception of more intense displays, but of course the true determining factor remains with aurora activity on any given night.
Lunar phases therefore only matter according to personal preference. Most commonly the aurora seen will be green or whitish, but depending on the strength of the activity, pinks and reds are also visible to the naked eye.
Photographs bring out the colours with more intensity so even weak aurora can look impressive through the lens. We use cookies to provide the best experience on this website. See our cookie policy or continue to use the site if you're happy with this. Northern lights near Tromso, Norway. Home The Northern Lights. The Northern Lights The northern lights are also known as the aurora borealis, meaning light of dawn.
What are the Northern Lights?
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