When and how to see the northern lights in Iceland

Short version: you need darkness, a clear gap in the clouds and some solar activity. Cloud is the one that ruins most nights, so pick the spot, not just the night.

Season

Aurora can only be seen when the sky is properly dark. In Iceland that means roughly from late August to mid April. Around the summer solstice it never gets dark enough, and the site shows "Too light" for those nights. The darkest, longest nights are from October to February.

The three things that matter

1. Clear sky. Iceland's weather is changeable, and the cloud usually differs a lot between the south coast, the north and the east on the same night. That is why we score 24 spots separately.
2. Activity (Kp). A higher Kp number means a stronger and more southerly aurora. Even Kp 1 or 2 can give lights in Iceland when it is dark and clear, because the country sits close to the auroral oval.
3. Dark surroundings. Get away from town lights and a bright moon if you can. A full moon washes out the fainter displays.

Practical tips

• Check the hour-by-hour strip on a spot page: the best window is often only two or three hours.
• Dress for wind and cold, and bring a tripod if you want photos.
• Check road conditions before driving at night, and do not stop on the road.
• No guarantees: forecasts are wrong sometimes, and aurora is patchy. Give yourself several nights.

See tonight's best spots · How the score works · Get an email on good nights