Should the skies be clear you can most often catch a glimpse of greatness in Iceland. PIC Emil Kopke
N ot so long ago we met a very eager tourist in downtown Reykjavik. This individual had just arrived that same morning and could not wait to go Northern light hunting the following night. He had come all the way from Australia for the occasion.
Considering his great anticipation and the amounts of money needed to fly all the way to Iceland from Australia we almost did not have heart to tell him, straight up, the likelihood of catching glimpses of greatness in the sky were absolutely zilch. The date was 22nd of May.
Sadly, some tour operator in Iceland had convinced this man there were good chances of seeing flickers from the sun blazing majestically across the night skies above Iceland in May.
And why is it impossible to witness the great Northern lights in May?
Many reasons but the major issue is late May nights in Iceland are quite bright and this part of the hemisphere fast approaching the time of year when there is daylight 24 hours.
Now, we have written about such instances before but all it boils down to is this:
- The best times to witness the Northern lights is around the equinox in late September and early March each year.
- It is also best every eleven years when solar activity is at its highest in the sun´s cycle
- The lights are most often dancing around around midnight
Keep these three things in mind and you will, sooner or later, be at the right spot at the right time. Patience is key as no lights can be seen when the sky is overcast which is common. They are also hard to see, but not impossible, surrounded by light sources such as from cities or larger towns.
That´s it. Now go crazy!
