I have travelled to Sweden and Norway to see and photograph the Aurora Borealis between 7-17 March 2013. In this article I tried to bring together all the information you might need to plan your trip.

What is the Aurora Borealis?

Where is this spectacular and colorful dance in the sky coming from? In Latin “Aurora’ means “dawn”, in the Roman mythology it is the Goddess of Dawn. On the other hand, “Borealis” stands for “North” in Latin. By the way, the Aurora on the southern pole is called Aurora Australis.

Scientifically Aurora is the result of solar explosions and solar winds which send out particles or electrons hitting the Earth’s magnetic field, but entering the atmosphere near the poles. These electrons charge Oxygen and Nitrogen molecules, which become unstable. The green color is the result of Oxygen atoms between 100 and 200 km, above 200 km Oxygen emits a red color. Nitrogen emits red under 100 km and blue above 100 km.

The following is a 15 seconds video that I created out of 50 frames I shot in 8 minutes to share on Instagram and give an idea about Aurora in action

What time is good or best?

The sun has a solar cycle of 11 years. In each cycle solar activity reaches it’s maximum level. The higher solar activity the higher chance of seeing the Aurora. It was estimated that in 2013 the 24th solar cycle reaches it’s maximum level. Therefore, we decided to plan the trip in 2013. Later on, mid-2013, NASA announced that the solar activity didn’t reach it’s max at the beginning of 2013 and indicated it is predicated to happen end of 2013 and probably in 2015 again, which was the case.

As we are now at the end of 2016, the probability and intensity of the Aurora is less. However, this doesn’t mean you won’t see the Aurora if you travel to the North, there is always a chance to see the Aurora. I would recommend going after the Aurora between 2023 and 2025, as it is most probably the best time within the next 11 years.

Solar cycles 23-24

I believe the importance of years is clear now. The best time within a year to see the Aurora would be during the equinoxes, that is March and September. This can be extended to months between February to April and September to November. March 2013 seemed to be a good choice to us.

Average Number of Geomagnetically Distributed Days (1932-2007)

Between April and September the nights are way shorter and the probability of seeing the Aurora is very low. The probability in December and January is half of the probability in March and October. In addition, keep in mind that November to February it is colder and probably cloudier. It is also very important to check the weather conditions in the cities your are planning to go. For example, Tromso is in the heart of the Aurora zone, but due to humidity, caused by the fjords, the sky is cloudy most of the days. Abisko, on the other hand, is a little outside the center of the Aurora zone, but likelier to have an open sky.

The Aurora doesn’t only happen when the solar activity is at it’s maximum. Even if it cannot be seen, it can happen all the time. However, to be seen it must occur at a certain level depending on your location, the sky must be clear and it should be dark enough. This is also the case for Photography. The place of choice should be as dark as possible, far from the city lights. In addition, I recommend a time frame where the moon is not visible. So, we also checked the Moon Phases and noted that the 11th of March 2013 was New Moon, which played also a big role in deciding for the time to travel. It is also recommended to have at least a 10-day trip to maximize the chance of seeing the Aurora. Keep in mind that the probability is not that high, you might come back without seeing the Aurora! I am only trying to give the necessary information to maximize your chance of seeing the Aurora.

We checked the solar cycle for the right year, the right months within the year and within that month a good time frame, at least 10 days, by looking at the Moon Phases. Now, let’s focus on the importance of days and hours (and minutes).

The daily Aurora forecast is very important. There are a couple of sources giving forecasts. I used the forecasts of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. On their website you can find the Aurora forecast for the next 20 days. The values are between 0-9 Kp, where a higher value means a wider area and a more intensive Aurora. The Kp value gives an idea on the probability of seeing the Aurora from where you are or where you will be heading. Don’t forget that this is only a forecast, it might happen during day time or might not happen at all!

Once you know the daily forecast, you can start planning your day. If there is a good chance the Aurora will happen, check the weather forecast next. It is very crucial that the sky is clear to view the Aurora. If it will be cloudy, I recommend you to fire the fireplace, have a nice dinner and relax a little in the sauna afterwards. Another option is to check the weather forecast of nearby cities and go there by car. However, keep in mind that the roads might be icy/snowy, driving becomes harder and requires more attention and that you need to return after a long shooting (hopefully) or after waiting a long time in the cold.

Do you need to wait all night in the freezing cold if the daily Aurora forecast looks good and the sky is clear? No! There are some good sources that give a prediction for the next hour(s). On Aurora Alerts you can find the Kp levels for the next hour with 15 minute intervals. If it’s under 1, keep waiting somewhere warm. It looks like:

The Space Environment Center’s Neural Net Program estimates that . . .

in 9 minutes, the Geomagnetic Activity level (Kp number) will be 1.33 — Quiet
in 24 minutes, the Geomagnetic Activity level (Kp number) will be 2.33 — Quiet
in 39 minutes, the Geomagnetic Activity level (Kp number) will be 2.33 — Quiet
in 54 minutes, the Geomagnetic Activity level (Kp number) will be 2.33 — Quiet

After years, months, weeks, days, I also pointed to the importance of hours and minutes. I hope this information is useful for you to pick the right time and minimize the probability of returning without seeing the Aurora and getting disappointed.

Where can you see the Aurora?

When selecting the a city or location the most important part is that the Aurora should be visible even at low intensity, like Kp 1-3. On the graphics at the daily forecast website you can see at what level the Aurora is visible in the location you are planning to go. Tromso, Norway is within the Aurora ring even at 1 Kp. For Abisko, Sweden 2-3 Kp is required. If the locations is within the outer green line, the Aurora can still be seen, but will probably stay somewhere in the horizon (which will probably not satisfy you, it wouldn’t satisfy me!). To summarize, do your best to be within the green area. If you are lucky (yes, that’s part of it) you might experience the Aurora just above your head, not only in the horizon and this is really AMAZING! I know, true story!

The Aurora Borealis visible area at 3 Kp (Europe)

Iceland, northern parts of Sweden and Norway, Alaska, Canada, Finland or northern Russia are good places to go after the Northern Lights.

I went to 3 different cities: Tromso in Norway, Kiruna and Abisko in Sweden. This choice wasn’t that easy, as we needed to consider time, distances, availabilities and the probability of seeing the Aurora. We also planned different activities for day time and a short stay at Stockholm, where we had a transfer.

We studied a lot about Northern Lights, Photography techniques, cold weather conditions, the locations and equipment we would need.

Recommended equipment:

• GPS or a mobile device with GPS capability
• In-Car charge kit
• Powerbanks
• Thermos, a warm cup of tea or coffee will definitely help you in the cold. Sometimes cold water is also good, if you take some in a bottle it might freeze, another thermos for cold water would be handy.
• Bed sheets, linens and towels. We used our own sheets and towels even in hotels, as they charge for them extra to keep the cost of the rooms lower.
• Your drugs, especially something for a flu or cold.

Clothes;

• Wool or Thermal underwear (you really need some! Merino Wool is recommended)
• Wool Socks.
• Waterproof winter jacket. It is COLD! However, sometimes it is sunny as well, so try to wear in layers.
• Snow pants
• Snow shoes
• Gaiters
• Beret
• 2 pairs gloves, An inner one that still lets you use and configure your camera and another to protect your hands from the cold.
• Snow glasses
• Baff, to protect your face
• A big suitcase!

For Photography:

• A camera, for sure! I used a Canon 5D Mark II
• A wide-angle lens, at least with f/2.8. I had a Canon EF 16-35 mm f/2.8L II USM
• Tripod is a must have
• Remote controller, and also a backup if you have one. It is very difficult to shoot in Bulb mode without a remote controller.
• Backup batteries. I had two backups, but the battery performance was way better than I expected, a single backup could be enough
• Your chargers.
• You might need adapters for the plugs in Sweden and Norway. They were same as in Turkey
• Memory cards. Daily 32 GB is fine, if you transfer them to your hard discs before going to bed
• USB card readers
• Head lights, you will need them to prepare your camera in the dark.

For traveling;

• Passport
• Visa (İsveç, Norveç) Yes, Turks still need a Schengen visa
• Travel/Health Insurance

and we are ready to go!

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