When to go to Iceland to see the aurora?
The aurora borealis is a meteorological phenomenon that can only be observed when it's dark. To have a chance of seeing one, you'll need to visit the country between late August and late March. The best time to see the Northern Lights in Iceland is from November to February. At this time of year, daylight sets in early (4 or 5 p.m.), and more night means a greater chance of seeing them in the evening.
Good to know: no one can guarantee you'll see an aurora borealis! They depend on the sun's activity, which is random. On an Icelandic holiday, you could just as easily see several evenings in a row in a week, or none at all in 10 days.
How about a hunt for the northern lights?
Ready for an Aurora hunt? To optimize your chances of witnessing this spectacle, several conditions are required:
It must be nighttime: as we mentioned earlier, you can't see the northern lights in the middle of the day, when there's too much light. Similarly, light pollution will prevent you from seeing them properly. So it's best to choose a spot that's well away from cities and light sources.
There must be solar activity: it's the solar activity or Kp that produces the auroral phenomenon. The higher the Kp, the greater the chance of seeing them! Beware, however, that this is only an indicator, which may or may not prove to be true. Auroras can be seen when the Kp is low, and not at all when it's high. When the sky is black and clear, you have to take your chances and go out, whatever the Kp.
You need to be patient and persevering: sometimes you need to stay in one place for a while to see an aurora appear. Similarly, a very faint aurora borealis can literally "explode" in the sky in a matter of minutes, only to disappear just as quickly. To admire this phenomenon, you need to be patient.
How to recognize an aurora borealis?
Not all aurora borealis are equally visible in the sky. Some are barely perceptible, while others light up the sky almost "like daylight". When the aurora is faint, it could almost be mistaken for a cloud. But if that cloud is moving, then chances are it's an aurora. To be sure of what you're seeing, take your cell phone or SLR and take a long-pause photo (a few seconds). If green appears on the screen, congratulations, you're looking at an aurora borealis!
Can we predict the Northern Lights?
No app can guarantee you'll see an aurora, but some of them assess the "odds" of being able to make that dream come true. Among them, the free smartphone application My Aurora Forecast offers many possibilities. This app gives you the Kp (solar activity) of the area you're in, the percentages of chances of seeing an aurora in the next few hours and even a map of the aurora! You can even receive notifications to encourage you to go out when conditions are right to see auroras.
Where can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland?
The Northern Lights can be seen all over the country. If you're located in the capital, there are several good spots: the Snaefellsnes peninsula, and the closer Seltjarnarnes peninsula. On the south coast, the Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, Jokulsarlon and Vik beach are all perfect spots.
Further north, the many fjords of the north-west and Akureyri offer a multitude of wild and authentic spots where you can hope to leave with some great photos.
Good to know: many companies (Guide To Iceland, Extreme Iceland, Get Your Guide...) organize excursions to hunt for the northern lights from Reykjavik or other major cities in the country. We tried out one of these excursions and came away satisfied! Not only were the auroras there, but we were also given good advice on how to spot and photograph them.
In practice, a bus picks you up at a specific point and drives around the surrounding area in search of the perfect spot. For our group, the first stop was the right one, with an aurora already present. If necessary, the driver would have moved to another point to try their luck elsewhere. The group is managed by a guide, who will be on hand to give you tips on how to recognize an aurora, how to best photograph it, and even to warm you up with a hot chocolate! A good option if you want to optimize your chances.
Bonus: if you don't see any aurora, you can usually come back for another night out, free of charge. Don't forget to plan this outing as soon as you arrive, so you can do it again if you fail.
How to photograph an aurora borealis?
To be able to return with magnificent photos, you'll need to respect certain conditions. Two tools are essential: a camera whose settings you can adjust manually, and a good tripod.
On the camera side, there are three settings to remember: ISO, exposure time and aperture. To capture as much light as possible, you'll need to opt for the widest possible aperture (the smallest "f" possible on your camera). You should also adapt your exposure time to the dawn, by first testing with 10 seconds. You can then decrease/increase this time if the photo is too exposed or not exposed enough. Finally, you'll need to set your ISO (light sensitivity) high enough, but not too high (beware of noise).
Don't forget your tripod! To photograph an aurora properly, you need a long exposure. And long exposure means a tripod, or you'll end up with a blurry photo.
To conclude...
...Don't forget to bundle up for aurora hunting. Aurora nights are generally cold, and you'll be immobilized for long periods, often without gloves to take photos. Opt for several layers of clothing, a good coat, a scarf, a hat, heaters and a thermos of tea or coffee. And don't forget to bring spare batteries for your SLR (batteries seem to discharge faster in the cold, so you may need to change them to warm them up).
Need advice?
In addition to the aurora borealis, you'll have the opportunity to photograph many natural phenomena in Iceland (glaciers, snow-covered expanses...), each with its own particularities. If you're interested in photographing Northern Europe, don't hesitate to consult the book by Aurélie Amiot, aka Madame Oreille. It's packed with practical tips for photographing Northern European landscapes at their best, and is suitable for all levels. You can buy it directly from her blog - it's a real goldmine, and the photos are breathtaking: www.madame-oreille.com
