#admire #magnificent #Northern #Lights
Observing the Northern Lights is a spectacle that is all the more beautiful because it is uncertain. They are linked to solar flares that are impossible to predict long in advance. However, as our star reaches peak activity in 2024 and 2025, some places are more favorable than others to see them, particularly on fall or winter nights with clear weather. Here are the six best spots in Europe to experience the Northern Lights, according to National Geographic .
Three little-known spots
Most of these places are near the Arctic Circle. However, during periods of high solar activity, as is the case at the moment, it is possible to see them as far away as the south-east of England. Under these conditions, a site in the United Kingdom is particularly suitable for observing the Northern Lights: the Shetland Islands in Scotland. This is the northernmost part of the country. Isolated, these islands enjoy an absence of light pollution. This type of show is generally visible a few times a year in October.
Read also: Here are the most spectacular northern lights observed in 2023, ahead of an exceptional year
Another little-known country for the Northern Lights: Denmark. If the heart of the country is usually too far south to benefit from it, two constituent territories of the Kingdom of Denmark nevertheless allow you to see it regularly: the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Faroe Islands archipelago can be visited in winter to try to see some of these light phenomena. The most favorable islands are Suðuroy and Sandoy, from November to February.
In Greenland, head to the Ilulissat fjord to maximize your chances of observing these phenomena. If we can see them from September, the Northern Lights are sometimes present during the New Year festivities, celebrated twice, in Denmark time, then in Greenland.
Three Nordic pearls
Just below Greenland, Iceland offers great chances of seeing these glows from solar flares. Among the most suitable sites is the proglacial lake of Jökulsárlón. This ethereal place has very little light pollution, which greatly increases the possibility of seeing auroras between October and March. The dark skies of December, however, guarantee the best chance of seeing these shows.
Finally, Scandinavia is potentially the best region for the Northern Lights. Two spots seem to stand out. The first is the city of Tromsø in Norway. It is located in the Arctic Circle, which significantly increases the chances of being able to benefit from it. The aurora period extends from September to mid-April, when light pollution is at its lowest, and the sky is particularly dark and clear. Further south, in Finland, Rovaniemi is also known as one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. This spectacle is visible in this magical winter landscape about 15 nights a year.
