Aurora guides
Independent, sourced guides to the northern lights in Norway: how they form, how to read the forecast, where and when to look, and how to photograph them.
Understanding the aurora
What the aurora is, why it has the colours it has, and how the Sun, the solar wind and the solar cycle drive it.
What is the aurora? How the northern lights are made
The aurora is light from oxygen and nitrogen high in the atmosphere, switched on by electrons from space. Here is the physics, explained simply.
Aurora colours explained: why green, red and pink?
Green and red come from oxygen at different heights, purple and pink from nitrogen. And your eyes see a greyer aurora than your camera for a good reason.
Solar wind, Bz and speed: how to read real-time aurora data
Bz, Bt, speed and density explained: what the numbers in the solar wind plot mean for the aurora, and how far ahead they can really tell you anything.
The solar cycle: what the 2024 maximum means for the aurora now
Solar cycle 25 peaked in October 2024. How the declining phase affects the aurora in Norway, and why strong storms can still arrive.
Geomagnetic storms: G1 to G5, and what you see in Norway
CMEs, fast solar wind and NOAA's G-scale explained, with the great storms from Carrington in 1859 to May 2024 and what they meant for the aurora in Norway.
Forecasts and data
How to read the Kp index, solar wind data and cloud forecasts – and use them to decide what to do tonight.
The Kp index explained: what the number means for the aurora
Kp is a global 0–9 measure of how disturbed Earth's magnetic field is. How to read it, which Kp is enough where you are in Norway, and when not to trust it blindly.
How to read an aurora forecast, from 27 days to the next hour
Aurora forecasts exist for the next hour and the next month, but their accuracy differs hugely. How to use each one, and an evening routine that actually works.
Clouds and clear skies: the real key to seeing the aurora
The aurora is above the clouds, so the cloud forecast matters at least as much as Kp. How to read cloud layers on Yr, choose between coast and inland, and dodge moonlight and city glow.
Aurora apps and data sources: where the numbers come from
Most aurora apps rely on a handful of open sources: NOAA for space weather, MET Norway and Yr for clouds, and Norwegian observatories for live measurements. How to use them, and how to tell a good app from a bad one.
How Nordlys i natt? works: yes, maybe or no
Behind the JA, KANSKJE or NEI answer are three open data sources and a few simple, open rules. How the verdict is made, where it can go wrong, and what happens to your location.
Where and when
When in the year and the night your chances are best, and where in Norway to stand – from Svalbard to the south.
Best time of year for the northern lights in Norway, month by month
The aurora is there all year, but in Northern Norway you can only see it from late August to mid-April. Here is what each month gives and takes.
Best time of night for the aurora: magnetic midnight and the moon
The aurora can appear as soon as it is dark, but the strongest outbursts cluster around magnetic midnight, which in Northern Norway is roughly 11 pm in winter time.
Aurora in Tromsø: spots in town, escaping the lights and etiquette
Tromsø sits under the auroral oval on most clear nights. Here are the spots in town, when driving out is worth it, and how to chase the lights without upsetting the neighbours.
Northern lights in Lofoten and Vesterålen: beaches, weather, roads
Lofoten and Vesterålen pair the aurora with peaks, beaches and sea. Here is how the islands are placed, what the coastal weather means, and what to know about winter roads.
Northern lights in Alta and Finnmark: inland climate, history, cold
Finnmark offers aurora over plateau, fjord and the Barents Sea, a drier and colder inland climate than the coast, and the world's oldest aurora research history in Alta.
Aurora on Svalbard: daytime aurora, polar night and polar bears
Svalbard offers something mainland Norway cannot: aurora in the middle of the day during the polar night. When it is dark enough, why a high Kp is not always better, and the rules outside Longyearbyen.
Aurora in southern Norway: what it takes in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim
Aurora in southern Norway is uncommon but far from impossible in active years. Roughly what Kp you need, why you must look north, and why your camera often sees more than you.
Photography
Bring the aurora home: settings and technique for phone cameras and dedicated cameras.
How to photograph the aurora with your phone: settings that work
A modern phone can take lovely aurora photos as long as it stays still. Settings for iPhone, Pixel and Samsung, plus the common mistakes that give blurry or overprocessed shots.
Photographing the aurora with a camera: settings, focus and gear
A tripod, a fast wide-angle lens, ISO 800 to 3200 and 2 to 15 seconds. Why those settings work, how to focus sharply in the dark, and how to avoid blown-out green.
Culture and practical tips
Stories and traditions about the aurora, and practical advice on clothing and safety on winter nights.
The aurora in Sámi tradition and Nordic folklore, and myths to drop
What Sámi tradition and old Nordic folk belief say about the northern lights, where that knowledge comes from, and why the Valkyrie-armour and light-you-can-hear stories need a pinch of salt.
Winter aurora chasing in Norway: clothing, cold and safety
Aurora chasing often means standing still in the dark and cold for hours. The practical side: layered clothing, hands and feet, safe parking, avalanches, ice and Norway's emergency numbers.
Reference
A glossary and answers to the most common aurora questions.
Northern lights in Norway: frequently asked questions
22 common questions about the northern lights answered briefly and concretely, from the best season and Kp numbers to why your camera sees more than your eyes.
Aurora glossary: forecast and app terms explained, A to Z
More than 40 aurora terms explained briefly and accurately, with Norwegian equivalents where useful and links to the articles that go deeper.