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The thought of the Northern Lights is enough to make anyone dream of snow-capped scenes and psychedelic skies. Despite it being the off-season, seven solar storms sparked solar flares last weekend, leading to stunning sightings of the aurora borealis around the world.
Luckily for those who missed it, forecasts from NOAA and NASA estimate that the current cycle of solar flares will peak next July. Here are some destinations where you can go to see the aurora stronger than ever this year.
Skalholt, Iceland
This historic city is a part of Iceland’s famous Golden Circle route and has been the country’s capital for over 700 years. Skålholt Cathedral and the 5 Million Star Hotel – a stargazing campsite in the middle of the forest – are popular spots to catch the Aurora Borealis.
North Norfolk coast, England
Probably one of the few places in the UK to catch the Aurora Borealis. Two sites within Norfolk’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty were also awarded Dark Sky Discovery Site status.
Ingraham Trail, Canada
One of the most famous destinations to catch the Northern Lights, this 70 km long route starts in the city of Yellowknife and ends at remote Tibbitt Lake. How to reach: Fly to Toronto or Vancouver and then fly to Yellowknife and keep driving on Highway 4 until you reach Tibbitt Lake.
Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Leave the Swedish Lapland experience for a more intimate affair in this small village located 18 km from Kiruna. It is also home to the world’s largest snow and ice hotel, which was first built in 1989. It is reborn every winter and melts into the Torne River every summer. How to reach: Fly to Stockholm Arlanda Airport, then take a domestic flight to Kiruna Airport before driving to Jukkasjärvi.
Rovaniemi, Finland
Called the official hometown of Santa Claus, locals here see the aurora as the spirits of the dead or the shining armor of Valkyrie riding across the night sky. In Finnish, the word for the Northern Lights – ‘rivontulet’ – refers to a mysterious firefox that lights the sky on fire with its tail. Choose from snowmobiles, husky sleds, snowshoes, and reindeer sleds and spend a night chasing with a local expert in the “Official Hometown of Santa Claus.”
Northern Lights in Ladakh?
In a rare event, Stanzin Norla, an engineer on the MACE telescope, shared an image of Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arcs online. Norla took this photo from Hanle Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh on Saturday. “A very rare phenomenon… the Eta Aquariid meteor shower adds to the beauty of the aurora,” he wrote on X. This is not the first time that auroras have been spotted in Ladakh, India’s first dark sky reserve. This last occurred on April 22 and 23, 2023, due to a coronal mass ejection.
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