Northern Lights

[Little Dave]

No not the one's in Manchester!

My o/h has always been interested in this phenomenon and therefore I have started to investigate possible trips this coming Jan/Feb to Tromso.

For those that have had the pleasure was it easy to see them i.e first night there or are they a lot more elusive having to wait for the perfect conditions? I have read that the further North you go the better the chance and that Jan/Feb are good times if not a little nippy.

Thoughts?

PS Obviously any trip would have to include snowmobiles so any advice on those appreciated

[Le TVR]

The very best I have ever seen them was just outside Tromso. Were at a restaurant up a mountain a few miles from the town, late January. The less light polution the better the view. Was -15° thought.

[smifffymoto]

I saw them in Saariselka,Finnish Lapland.They were stunning but only short lived.Around that area you could also do a bit of skiing,alot of snowmobil thrashing and generally trying to keep warm.The coldest we encountered was -38 in the middle of a forrest(cold doesn't even begin to describe it)

[uuf361]

Have seen them Dave but only from Anchorage, so a little far to travel.....

[mathewb]

I saw them about 90 minutes drive into the middle of a national park in Iceland, 2 months ago. I was feeling quite pleased at having snapped a photo of the phenomenon when I turned to see a Japanese tourist with his £1k camera not only take a perfect photo of it, but capture himself making a peace sign in the foreground. It was like a ruddy postcard, the tt.

It's not like you see in photos (i.e. bright neon colours illuminating everything) - much more subtle in real life, and eerie too. (Though that might be the aforementioned 'being in the middle of nowhere')

[shakotan]

We saw them in 06/07 when we spent New Year in Jukkusjarva. As said, it appeared very slowly and subtley.

[Little Dave]

Have now booked a trip flying into Tromso and staying at the Davvi Artic Lodge in Finland. Included in the trip are snowmobile safaris, dog sledging, reindeer stuff and ice fishing. Have been lucky enough to have seen a fair bit of the world but this is the most excited i have ever been about any trip.

8 weeks to go!

[Murph7355]

Twice been well North of the arctic circle (Sweden) and not seen them. Weather conditions play a massive part.

Last time I went we did see a weird phenomenon during the day - looked a bit like mother of pearl shimmering in the sky. Something to do with pollution apparently - couple of the locals I spoke with had never seen it before.