The Northern Lights and Solar Activity

Freakbro · 29 Oct 2019 at 09:05

A friend of mine wants to go on holiday to Iceland to "see the Northern Lights". We know this is never guaranteed anyway, but my thoughts are since we are at the absolute nadir of the solar cycle I suggested waiting a 2-3 years to give it a better chance of there being a display and it being more impressive.

Anyone have any experience of this? Am I just being a geek and over thinking it or is there a significant difference in the chances and type of display you would see?

Paul2k12 · 29 Oct 2019 at 09:48

I went in February of this year and stayed 11 nights. Saw the lights 9 times so I was exceptionally lucky. My advice would be to just go and keep your fingers crossed for clear weather. It’s very hit and miss but being in Iceland in the winter your giving yourself the best possible chance. I was keeping an eye on the KP index but it made little difference, the lights would change constantly going from weak to strong in a matter of seconds so I wouldn’t have thought the ‘solar time’ would make a huge amount of difference etc.

Freakbro · 29 Oct 2019 at 10:37

Thanks @Paul2k12 that sounds promising then

touch · 29 Oct 2019 at 10:57

You can get lucky with it at any time. There was a good view of it from North Scotland one night last week. (25th/26th I think?)

Liquidfox · 29 Oct 2019 at 12:17

There's been a couple of big shows on the Scottish Facebook pages, I sit with envy most of the time. A few mates went out to the lighthouse at Whitley Bay a couple of weeks ago and even spotted them there so I'd imagine Iceland would still have a good show.

Efour · 29 Oct 2019 at 14:45

Download an app.

I'm not sure they forecast so longforward but a week or 2.