Then, upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere, the Sun’s particles interact and collide with gas atoms. Some particles manage to escape and get through the magnetic field in the areas where it is weaker, such as around the magnetic poles. Before the charged particles can enter our atmosphere, the magnetosphere deflects the majority of them. When the solar wind reaches our planet, it crashes into the Earth’s magnetic field. Hot plasma is released from the Sun’s atmosphere from time to time and is blown into space, traveling towards the Earth at supersonic speeds. Thanks to their extremely high energy, these highly charged electrons, and protons are able to escape the Sun's gravity. On the surface of the Sun, gas molecules are highly explosive due to the incredible heat. What causes the Northern Lights?Īccording to scientists, the Polar Lights are caused by collisions between electrically charged particles traveling with the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This is extremely rare, though, only happening once a decade at most. They can, however, happen once in a while after a particularly strong geomagnetic storm. The Polar Lights very rarely occur in lower latitudes. When active, the lights usually appear in both hemispheres at the same time creating similar patterns and colors in a mirror-like phenomenon. In the Northern Hemisphere, these lights are called the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis while in the Southern Hemisphere they are referred to as the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis. When seen from space, they circle the Poles like giant halos. Most often, the Polar Lights appear in a band called the " auroral zone." They can be mostly seen from above the 60th parallel in the north and below the 60th parallel in the south. The Auroras - also called the Northern Lights, the Southern Lights, or the Polar Lights - are a natural phenomenon that appears in the sky in high-latitude regions near the Antarctic and Arctic Circles. Norway and Finland are somewhat milder, but Iceland is by far the warmest of the Aurora countries. The temperatures in Reykjavík rarely fall below -5☌ (23☏) in wintertime, unlike in north Canada, Norway, or Greenland where it can fall from -20 to -30☌ (-4 to -22☏). Thanks to the warm Gulf Stream that flows around the island, Iceland’s climate is much milder than would be expected from its location. Southern auroras, however, are quite rarely seen as they are concentrated around uninhabited Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean.įrom all of these places, Iceland is the most ideal travel destination for a Northern Lights tour as, of all the options, it is the least cold. Aurora borealis can also be seen over Greenland, Iceland, northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and northern Siberia. The best inhabited places to watch the lights in North America can be found in the northern parts of Canada and Alaska. It offers the chance to see the lights 7 - 8 months per year. Iceland, which sits between the 63° and 66° latitude north, is perfectly positioned. This, however, only happens once a decade or even less. It is preferable to check out the place in the daylight before heading out at night as finding a safe parking area in the dark is much more difficult.įor your self-guided tour, you might want to pack a thermos with some hot liquids, pocket warmers, and headlights so that you can inspect the area if you decide to walk away from your car a bit.Īs explained above, the auroras only appear near the poles or occasionally, when an especially strong geomagnetic storm hits the Earth’s atmosphere, they may appear in lower latitudes. To find a safe spot with a spacious parking area that is far enough from traffic, you must plan ahead. Stopping on the side of the road is illegal and has the potential to be very dangerous. It is likely that you will spend long hours waiting and then may get very excited or distracted when the Auroras appear. We do, however, strongly recommend that you do a bit of research before heading out into the dark.įor everyone’s safety, you are advised to locate a safe parking place where you can exit your car and walk around safely in the darkness. Due to the unpredictable nature of the Auroras, there is no specific place in Iceland that is the best for seeing the lights.
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