The Craze to See the Northern Lights

It seems like the talk about the beauty of the Northern Lights in Iceland is spreading like wildfire. More people are starting to include Iceland specifically seeing the Northern Lights in their Travel Bucket List. More and more people are posting their amazing pictures of this natural phenomenon on their social media accounts; lucky are those people who can use the hashtag #NorthernLights on their Facebook and Instagram. Iceland is now even being mentioned in talk shows on TV. I, myself, if given a chance would also like to see it. At this point of time, I think to see the Northern Lights and to perfectly capture it in a photography is every photographer and/or photo enthusiast’s dream. Really.

Beautiful!

Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis is a natural phenomenon that happens in the northern latitudes when there are collisions with electrically charged particles from the sun that enters the Earth’s atmosphere. The different variations in colors depend on the type of gas that are involve in the said collision. The lights displayed by the Aurora Borealis (or Northern Lights) generally extends from 80 to 640 kilometers above the earth’s surface.

This magnificent phenomenon in the sky can happen at any time of the year in Iceland. However, witnessing the wonderful Northern Lights is all about timing – it is pretty unpredictable. Remember, it can only be seen if the sky is very dark and clear. It will be more likely to be seen on clear nights in autumn, winter, and spring. To make it simple, the colder and less cloudy – the better chance to see this most beautiful and most impressive natural phenomenon in the sky.

Unbelievably beautiful

The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis is said to be the most beautiful and most impressive natural phenomenon in the sky

Convinced? Ready to book a flight to Iceland to see the blazing and dancing lights of Aurora Borealis?

If you are ready to break your travel fund and book the cheapest flights, here are some things to remember before you fly:

– Bring patience and a bit of luck. Northern Lights does not simply appear in front of your face. There would be some times that you have to wait or to exert some effort to see it – like driving to a certain place and/or camp on a mountain where it is more visible.

– Bring the right gear. There would be times that you have to stay outside for a long time to see the Northern Lights so make sure that you are prepared and dress appropriately. Recommended clothing a.k.a. Northern Lights attire are the following: woolen undergarments, warm and thick sweater (fleece or wool), thick winter coat and thermal pants/trousers, thermal woolen socks, winter boots, warm and thick bonnet and mittens, and thermal gloves. These are often available in outdoor shops such as The North Face and Columbia Sportswear.

– Bring and know how to use the right equipment. This is a once in a lifetime chance, make sure to capture it perfectly. Bring the right camera that would not give you some blurry-WT* shots. Capture the moment. Read some tips from photographers or travelers that have been visited Iceland.