Auroras form in the northern hemisphere and in the south too. Both are more visible the closer you are to a pole, and the southern ones are simply seen less because far less inhabited land sits beneath them.
The origin: the Sun
The Sun constantly emits charged particles — the solar wind. During intense activity that stream reaches Earth and is deflected by the planet's magnetic field toward the polar regions.
The collision: the atmosphere
Those particles collide with upper-atmosphere gases. Excited oxygen emits green around 100–150 km and red above 200 km; nitrogen adds violets and blues. The colour is not a filter: it is chemistry 100 km up.
When and where to see them
- Season: September to April, with long dark nights.
- Location: inside the auroral oval (Iceland, northern Norway, Lapland, Greenland).
- Conditions: clear sky, low moon, away from city lights.
- Patience: the best activity usually falls between 21:00 and 02:00.
No agency can guarantee auroras, but the odds can be maximised: our itineraries run in high season with dedicated hunting nights, flexible according to the forecast.
