Seeing the Northern Lights—also called the aurora borealis—is one of those travel experiences that stays with you forever. When ribbons of green, pink, and purple light suddenly swirl across the sky, it feels like the universe is putting on a private show. It’s beautiful, mysterious, and deeply moving all at once.

What Exactly Are the Northern Lights?

The aurora happens when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field. The result is a glowing display of color, most often seen in the polar regions. If you want the best chance to see them, head to places within the “auroral zone,” like northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, or even parts of Canada and Alaska.

Timing matters, too. The lights are most visible from late September to late March, when nights are longer and skies are darker. Peak viewing hours are usually between 6 PM and 1 AM, with midnight often delivering the brightest shows.

Planning Your Northern Lights Trip

To increase your chances of catching the aurora, a little preparation goes a long way:

  • Pick the right destination: Popular spots include Tromsø (Norway), Rovaniemi (Finland), and Fairbanks (Alaska). All are known for frequent sightings and clear skies.

  • Go in season: Aim for winter months, when nights are longest and conditions are best. Check local weather forecasts for cloud-free skies.

  • Stay somewhere special: Many lodges and cabins have glass roofs or open domes designed for aurora watching from the comfort of your bed.

  • Join a tour: Local guides know the best remote spots, far away from city lights, which gives you a much higher chance of success.

What It Feels Like to Chase the Lights

Ask anyone who’s seen the Northern Lights, and they’ll probably describe it as magical. You stand bundled up against the Arctic cold, waiting in the stillness of the night, when suddenly a faint shimmer of color appears. Then, as if on cue, the sky comes alive with waves of dancing light.

One traveler recalled camping in the Arctic, hours away from the nearest town. Just when they thought the night might pass quietly, the sky erupted in swirling greens and purples that stretched from horizon to horizon. In that moment, the cold and the waiting didn’t matter—the world above was alive with light.

How to Photograph the Aurora

Capturing the Northern Lights on camera isn’t easy, but with the right approach, it’s possible:

  • Bring a tripod: You’ll need long exposures, and any movement will blur the shot.

  • Tweak your settings: A wide aperture (f/2.8 or lower), ISO between 800–3200, and exposures of 10–20 seconds are a good starting point.

  • Focus manually: Autofocus struggles in the dark, so set your lens to infinity.

  • Stay patient: The aurora is unpredictable—you might wait hours for the perfect moment.

More Than Just a Light Show

For the indigenous Sami people and other Arctic cultures, the Northern Lights aren’t just a natural wonder—they carry deep spiritual meaning. Some legends describe the lights as souls dancing in the sky, while Viking stories imagined them as the reflections of warrior maidens’ armor. These myths and traditions give the aurora an added layer of mystique.