Your best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, aurora chaser reveals
It’s the time of year when you might be searching for ideas on how to see the Northern Lights or the best way to visit the Aurora Borealis. Perhaps this year more than others — after all, the UK was all abuzz in October 2024 when it was possible to see the Northern Lights as far south as Sussex, so it may have ignited a sense of wanderlust to get a better view!
If that sounds like you, there’s good news. Scientists have predicted the 2024/2025 aurora season will have the most impressive Northern Lights displays in over a decade. But as the best way to see the Aurora Borealis typically involves journeys to far-flung locales (and in the cold and dark), it's vital to get the experience as near-perfect as possible and choose your aurora-chasing adventure wisely.
So we've spoken to Tom Kerss, who was appointed Hurtigruten’s Chief Aurora Chaser earlier this year, the first position of its kind in the world. As an onboard expert on designated Hurtigruten voyages like Country Living's Northern Lights cruise, Tom offers advice on how to spot the Northern Lights and invaluable insights into the celestial phenomenon.
If this winter is your year to find out how to see the Northern Lights in their full glory, read on for Tom's top tips — including why sailing in Norway's arctic waters in the comfort of a beautiful liner is undoubtedly how to see the Northern Lights in the best way possible.
SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS WITH TOM KERSS
Travel to the Aurora Oval
While it may have been possible to see the Aurora Borealis in south England this year, it’s incredibly rare. Tom explains, “When extraordinary aurora storms erupt, the Northern Lights may be seen over a wide range of latitudes. But this typically results in a glimpse, like seeing the tail of a beautiful animal.”
For the full view, you have to go on the chase. It's called a chase because the Northern Lights are elusive, and sightings are never guaranteed. But it makes seeing them all the more rewarding.
The world’s best places to see the Northern Lights lie between 60 and 75 degrees latitude within the Aurora Oval. It includes parts of Scandinavia and the northern reaches of the USA and Canada. Yet there’s nothing like seeing the Northern Lights in the Arctic during the autumn or winter months when they are a part of the natural nightlife.
"Arctic auroras, such as those visible off the coast of the far north of Norway, can be dazzling—bright enough to read under and remarkably colourful. The wild landscapes and seascapes of the Arctic add even more magic to the displays."
On Country Living's Northern Lights cruise, you'll voyage as far north as the North Cape and stop at the historic Arctic exploration capital of Tromsø, a hive of culture and history and one of the best places to spot the Northern Lights.
Time your chase wisely
During the summer, the sky is rarely dark enough for the Northern Lights to be visible except in extraordinary circumstances. The Arctic has varying periods of midnight sun, during which there is no night, so you won’t find Northern Lights cruises departing in the summer.
"The best way to see the Aurora Borealis is to brave the Arctic’s winter chill. The aurora season usually begins in August and ends in April, but for an optimum view, you should schedule your aurora-chasing adventure between mid-September and late March."
There’s good news if you’re considering seeing the Northern Lights this winter. Scientists have predicted that the Solar Maximum in 2024-25 will result in the most frequent and impressive Northern Lights for over a decade. The next Solar Maximum won’t be until 2036.
Country Living's Northern Lights cruise departs in February 2025, falling perfectly in the optimum window for seeing the Northern Lights during a time when they're predicted to be at their most dazzling.
Make sure it's as dark as possible
It might sound obvious, but it needs to be as dark and clear as possible to enjoy the Northern Lights at their brightest. The Northern Lights appear in the daytime, too, it's just not possible to see them.
HOW TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS WITH TOM KERSS
Consider using a low-power red torch to navigate your surroundings, and avoid looking directly into bright light sources. “This includes the screen on your phone", Tom warns. "Make sure to set the brightness setting to its minimum. You can keep your eyes relatively well-adjusted to the dark, and the fine structures and subtle hues of the Northern Lights will be easier to discern.”
Your aurora-chasing spot should avoid light pollution from towns, cities or nearby roads. That’s why the best way to spot the Northern Lights is being on a ship off the coast on a fantastic Northern Lights cruise.
Set your expectations
You might have heard that the Northern Lights aren't as colourful in person as you've seen in photos. "The colours of the Northern Lights are very much real and can be surprisingly vibrant to the eye in Norway’s night sky.", Tom assures us. "Still, cameras detect colour without bias, producing vivid, dramatic photographs full of greens, reds and violets."
At first, the Northern Lights can appear greyish-white or faintly green to the naked eye – unless highly active and bright. Once your eyes are adapted to the dark, the subtle, beautiful colours will reveal themselves to you.
If that leaves you wondering how to spot the Northern Lights when you're sailing, there's always plenty of help at hand on special Northern Lights cruises. The ship's captain and experts like Tom are scanning the skies for sightings, and will alert passengers when the Northern Lights make an appearance.
Take photographs
“In years gone by, I would have explained in granular detail how to take breathtaking photos of the Northern Lights, full of colour and detail,” Tom says. “It once demanded knowledge and experience of DSLR, mirrorless cameras, and fast lenses. But technology marches on, and today, you can point virtually any modern smartphone at the sky and effortlessly capture stunning aurora photos."
Onboard a Hurtigruten sailing like Country Living's Northern Lights cruise, experts are available to offer photography tips as you sail.
Live the experience of the Northern Lights
Spectacles like the Northern Lights are brought alive by the enthusiasm and expertise of scientists like Tom, "It’s a privilege to witness a phenomenon like the Northern Lights. But aurora-chasing is beguiling in many ways that aren’t based on sight. The bite of the Arctic air. The sound around you – perhaps silent snow or the shared excitement of other people. The smell of the sea and a flask of hot cocoa. Our senses are lit up as much as the sky, and beneath it all is how we feel and respond to this experience."
Witnessing the spectacle of the Northern Lights is a bucket list adventure. "For some, auroras are scientifically fascinating – the endpoint of a series of invisible physical processes that span the Solar System. For others, the creaturely nature of the Northern Lights evokes spiritual questions. Allow yourself to feel everything — you aren’t just seeing the Northern Lights. You are living the Northern Lights."
Don't dwell on the forecasts
“Much has been made of aurora forecasting, which has become quite sophisticated. It’s true that real-time data can give an insight into the visibility of auroras over short timescales, such as the upcoming hour, and that if a geomagnetic storm is on the cards, you’re in for a great night.”
However, those booking an aurora-chasing trip long in advance shouldn’t worry, “If you’re outside in the Arctic on a clear night during the aurora season, your odds of seeing the Northern Lights are good. Give yourself several nights to chase, be outside after sunset and stay up until at least an hour after midnight, and you’ll be rewarded.”
Want to know more about how to see the Northern Lights? Join Tom Kerss, Chief Aurora Chaser, on Country Living's 12-day Norway cruise, departing Feburary 2025. You'll sail above the Arctic Circle on a small Hurtigruten ship, MS Midnatsol, in search of the Aurora Borealis. If you don’t see the aurora appear at least once, you'll get a free voyage to try again.
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