How To See The Northern Lights

Have you always wanted to see the northern lights? It's no wonder, because they are one of the most awesome displays nature has to offer. Getting to them isn't as troublesome or expensive as you think!

Seeing the northern lights is one of the most amazing experiences you will probably ever encounter. The awesome display of light and color is enough to attract people from all over the globe. For some reason, most people hold the idea that the northern lights are only a rare sight or that it is incredibly expensive to see it for themselves. This could not be further from the truth.

What are they?

The northern lights occur when solar winds interacts with the Earth's magnetic field. Collisions between charged particles release energy in the form of light. The color of light emitted depends mostly on the elements involved in the collisions. The northern lights as we observe them are most often green with small amounts of red, but this can vary. One thing is for sure though. They will leave you in complete awe, and make a great photograph!

Where To See Them

The northern lights are visible from a huge area over several countries. So chances are that you won't actually have to travel all that far to catch a glimpse. Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Lapland, Canada, and Alaska are all known to have regular sightings. In some places they can occur as often as almost every night. In these places the only major reason they aren't visible on any given night is cloud cover.

Northern Lights Festival

Some of these countries hold festivals in honor of the lights. The most notable of these is held in Tromso, northern Norway, 350 kilometers (217 miles) inside the arctic circle. For around a month every year during December and January, the sun never rises above the horizon. The first dawn of the year is marked for celebration. The Northern Lights Festival in Tromso is host to international music and is an awesome time for anyone involved. Located right in the middle of the Northern Lights zone, Tromso is known as one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights.

If you're here, you have probably already decided to see the northern lights. Either that or you are at least are very interested in seeing them. Like any trip, the major options you have are to organize your entire journey on your own, have a travel agent book individual parts, or book a fully catered tour or cruise. The latter two are obviously going to require a lot less planning and take the worry and hassle out of the trip. Many people go on holiday to relax, and having almost everything done for you is a very good way of making sure you get your relaxation time in!

This is not for everyone, however. It is also usually cheaper to book everything yourself, as you can find specials and deals that travel agents oftentimes look over. That said, going on a professional northern lights tour or cruise is going to greatly increase your chances of seeing the lights. Imagine the disappointment of having to go home without having seen the northern lights after traveling halfway across the globe for that reason alone.

When taking the guided tour option, it is extremely likely you will see the lights. If you do your research properly, when booking yourself, the chances are still very high, however tour operators know exactly where to be and when. There is also the added bonus of having professionals to share their knowledge of the northern lights with you.

When booking yourself, obviously the more days you book, the greater the chance you have of seeing the lights. There is always a chance that cloud cover or other weather conditions will make a northern lights viewing impossible. So, do you spend a couple more days and therefore money to increase your chances to see the lights? This is a decision only you can make. I think it is definitely worth it as the disappointment of missing out would be too much to bear.

You may be surprised at just how inexpensive and easy it is to see the northern lights for yourself. It is time to scratch one more item off your things-to-do-before-I-die list!