Aurora FAQ
How to make the most of your time in Arctic Norway chasing the Northern Lights.
When To Come Here
Winter is the best time to visit the Arctic for auroras. In Summer we have the midnight sun, which makes aurora sightings impossible. From late September through to April you have a chance. The darker the months, the more hours of night sky you have to spot them.
Where To See Them
Tromsø, Narvik and Lofoten all have something in common. They sit along the edge of the Aurora Oval where the most frequent and impressive aurora activity can be seen. This is why Grovfjord is such a great location for seeing the Northern Lights. That and our beautiful scenery.
What Can My Eyes See?
On a gentle night the colour and brightness of auroras can be very subtle. They can move slowly at first, like a long arching cloud. As your eyes adjust the colours become more obvious. On a stronger night the dance of an aurora overhead is unmissable; they can be bright as moonlight and genuinely rich in colour. Moonlit nights or a twilight sky brings a vibrance to the green hues, while darker nights or high KP events brings out the reds.
What Causes Auroras?
Solar Winds cast off by the sun make waves when they reach the earth's magnetic field. With every sudden influx of particles flooding into the atmosphere a new ripple of aurora activity kicks off. The strength and speed of solar wind is what determines how much aurora activity we might see in the night sky. Exactly where and when they appear is still a challenge science is yet to perfect.
How Long Do They Last?
When the auroras kick off it may last for ten minutes, or all night. We never know for sure. Aurora move through in waves, as bursts of activity that starts in one part of the horizon, and moves to another. Often they dance overhead before heading south, then dance overhead again when moving back to the north. With each snap of the earth's magnetosphere a new ripple of auroras come to life somewhere around the planet.
What Are KP Levels?
Aurora events are measured on the KP index which gives an indication of strength, but also the latitude they might be seen. KP1 means the activity is limited to high in the Arctic, while KP6 means you might even see something in Oslo. These are peak levels only, and during an aurora event the localised activity may be higher or lower. Even a small KP event can offer a magnificent show in Grovfjord, because we're so close to the Aurora Oval.
Do I Need A Camera?
A decent mobile phone these days will have a reasonable chance of capturing an aurora. You need a slow exposure, so a tripod is going to make for better results. The better the camera, the better the results though. Any mirrorless or DSLR camera will work. A fast and wide lens is going to help a lot. The auroras can stretch from one horizon to the other, so the wider your lens the better.
Online And Real Time
We recommend a few websites to keep informed when chasing auroras. NOAA provides invaluable monitoring of solar activity and alerts for incoming solar storms when major solar flares are spotted. Predictions for KP levels are not intended to be accurate, but definitely worth keeping an eye out for larger aurora events. The real-time links below come from near-earth satellites, and ground monitoring stations in our region.
More Information
If you have any questions about our activities or options for booking, please just drop an email.
