2024 Is the 12 months of Aurora Borealis—Right here’s The place (and When) To Go For The Greatest Likelihood of Seeing Northern Lights

Watching the northern lights dance throughout the sky on a chilly, clear winter evening is an unforgettable expertise. Generally these dancing curtains will remodel right into a kaleidoscope of hues, as shades of pinks and reds, and typically even purples or blues remodel the darkish sky right into a transferring piece of multi-colored artwork. Within the northern hemisphere, the northern lights are generally known as aurora borealis, whereas within the southern hemisphere the phenomenon is named aurora australis.

Photo voltaic most is the interval of highest photo voltaic exercise in the course of the roughly 11-year photo voltaic cycle, and scientists imagine it’s going to doubtless peak someday in 2024. For the reason that aurora is pushed by photo voltaic exercise, created when charged particles from the solar work together with Earth’s environment, photo voltaic most is a incredible time to go aurora watching. 

You’ll want a darkish, clear evening sky to see the aurora, and be ready to remain up late, for the reason that late evening and wee morning hours (usually between 10 p.m. and a pair of a.m.) supply prime viewing alternatives. Right here’s the place to see the northern lights within the coming 12 months. 

Fairbanks, Alaska

Positioned in Alaska’s inside, Fairbanks is a chief place to view the northern lights, however be sure you bundle up as a result of the temperature can drop to -60 levels Fahrenheit and even colder. Through the day, get pleasure from experiences like canine sledding, reindeer excursions, ice fishing, snowmobiling (referred to as snowmachining in Alaska), and lots of different actions.

Fairbanks additionally presents distinctive lodging the place you’ll be able to gaze up and respect the evening sky—and hopefully spot the aurora. Borealis Basecamp has new aurora “cubes” in addition to igloo-style lodging for nice viewing the place you’ll be able to search for at a window and watch the sky remodel. Aurora Pointe is one other Fairbanks-area spot for aurora viewing, positioned about quarter-hour from city on 280 acres of personal land. Or head 60 miles out of city to Chena Scorching Springs Resort, the place you’ll be able to benefit from the northern lights whereas soaking in a pure sizzling spring. 

Sheldon Chalet, Denali Nationwide Park, Alaska

Positioned at practically 6,000 ft in elevation in Denali Nationwide Park, Sheldon Chalet presents a singular high-end luxurious aurora watching expertise. It’s positioned on a non-public rock outcropping on the Ruth Glacier, and consists of spectacular views of the Denali Vary. A keep right here is ideal for the adventurous traveler. This chalet is accessed through helicopter, and boasts quite a lot of guided actions corresponding to glacier trekking, crevasse exploration, mountaineering, and snowshoeing. 

The Yukon, Canada

Positioned within the Aurora Oval, the Yukon is a good place to go aurora searching. Get pleasure from quite a lot of actions like fats bike rides, canine sledding, and snowshoeing, and spend loads of time searching for the aurora within the evening sky. Contemplate a guided expertise with an organization like Epic North Tour Experiences that may present you round and supply one of the best probability of seeing the aurora if it’s seen. Or go for an aurora glass chalet at Northern Lights Resort and Spa to hopefully see the aurora dance throughout the sky whereas laying in your cozy mattress. 

Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Greatest recognized for its polar bears, Churchill can be an amazing place for aurora viewing below the Aurora Oval. Most guests who want to see polar bears are available October and November, which can be a time you would possibly have the ability to see the northern lights if circumstances cooperate. But when seeing the aurora is your high draw, contemplate a February or March go to, which is the preferred season to see the skies dance. Get pleasure from watching the skies from an Aurora Dome bubble for a singular expertise. Firms like Frontiers North Adventures supply excursions that incorporate quite a lot of experiences with northern lights viewing, corresponding to snowshoeing, canine sledding, and extra, in addition to particular photography-focused excursions.

Jasper, Alberta, Canada

Canada’s Royal Astronomical Society has designated Jasper Nationwide Park as a Darkish Sky Protect, making it good for evening sky gazing and aurora viewing if circumstances are proper. By day, benefit from the space’s attractive surroundings and quite a few out of doors actions, and by evening search for and benefit from the present. The Jasper Darkish Sky Competition (2024 dates TBA) is an annual celebration of Jasper’s unbelievable darkish skies, with quite a lot of packages that deliver astronauts and scientists to city. Get pleasure from The Jasper Planetarium’s exhibits and telescope excursions, and contemplate Jasper Photograph Excursions’ Night time Pictures Tour to snap photographs of stars, constellations, and hopefully the northern lights.  

Alta, Norway

In Alta, Norway, keep in a GLØD Aurora Canvas Dome to look at the aurora dance out of your cozy mattress. Go for a northern lights tour, after which retreat to your cozy dome with a wood-burning range, electrical blanket, and different cozy options to maintain it good and toasty. Or go for an evening at Sorrisniva’s Igloo Resort, which is crafted annually from ice and snow. Through the day, get pleasure from fats biking, snowshoeing, canine sledding, cross-country snowboarding, and different actions. 

Hurtigruten’s Coastal Ships, Norway

Hurtigruten has sailed alongside Norway’s coast for greater than 130 years, and the corporate is so assured friends on sure voyages will see the aurora that they provide a Northern Lights Promise on particular journeys throughout sure occasions of 12 months. This promise implies that if you happen to sail particular routes in the course of the auroral season and the northern lights aren’t close by of your ship, the corporate will give you one other probability at seeing them by offering one other journey freed from cost (be sure you learn the main points). Considered one of Hurtigruten’s choices is the North Cape Categorical, which sails alongside Norway’s coast within the newly renovated MS Trollfjord. Hurtigruten additionally presents quite a lot of excursions to maintain friends engaged, like canine sledding, a king crab expertise, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and extra. 

Ships within the Far North

One other chance for viewing the northern lights is to hop on an expedition ship touring within the far north. Whereas these ships usually don’t transit within the Arctic in the course of the winter, many sail in fall when the nights are starting to get darkish, permitting the potential to view the northern lights. Search for August, September, and October sailings for one of the best probability at recognizing the lights. For an extremely luxe expertise, Scenic Luxurious Cruises and Excursions presents voyages within the area effectively into September 2024. Journey Canada additionally presents quite a lot of crusing choices the place friends can discover locations like Greenland and northern elements of Canada effectively into the autumn, with an opportunity of recognizing the northern lights. 

Finland

In northern Finland, attempt distinctive actions like floating in an icy lake (sporting a particular dry go well with on a guided tour) to gaze up on the aurora in Rovaniemi. Get pleasure from a tour looking for northern lights with reindeer in Inari-Saariselkä, or search through electrical snowmobiles in Levi. A variety of locations additionally supply choices to sleep below the northern lights with distinctive lodging like Magical Pond and Apukka Resort. A variety of firms, like Wilderness Travels and Exodus Journey Travels, supply multi-day excursions that mix quite a lot of actions with northern lights viewing.

Iceland 

Iceland is a wonderland of out of doors recreation, and an ideal place to look at the northern lights. The viewing season in Iceland is September to April. Test present aurora circumstances on Iceland’s Aurora Forecast web site. Get pleasure from actions like guided excursions of ice caves, guided glacier walks, snowmobiling, and cross-country snowboarding, or spend a while soaking in unbelievable lagoons. Keep in one of many newly constructed Aurora Igloo’s clear bubble domes for a 360-degree view of the aurora. Native tour operators like Midgard Journey supply multi-day excursions to search for the northern lights whereas having fun with actions like jeep excursions, glacier strolling, and having fun with in style highlights of the south coast.