Can you see the northern lights in Abisko National Park?
Abisko National Park, in Swedish Lapland, offers some of the best conditions in the world for northern lights watching. The unique climate of the area keep the skies almost clear, and the light pollution is next to nothing. And here, you also find the Aurora Sky Station.
When can you see the northern lights in Abisko?
The Abisko Northern Lights can be seen anywhere between September and early April and the dark skies of Abisko and the surrounding area are a great place to spend the night searching for them.
What is the best time of year to watch the Northern Lights?
Thanks to longer hours of darkness and clear night skies, December through March is usually the best time to observe this elusive natural phenomenon (though you can sometimes see the northern lights starting as early as August).
What dates can you see the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights are unpredictable. In order to see the Northern Lights, you need a dark, clear night. They are visible from late August to early April anytime during dark hours, which in places like Abisko or Tromsø can be nearly 24 hours a day in winter.
Is Abisko the best place to see northern lights?
Although there’s a whole host of things to keep tourists busy around Abisko, one activity creates more of a buzz than any other: watching the northern lights. The aurora can be seen across northern Sweden but Abisko is widely regarded as the best place in the country – some say the entire world.
How long should I stay in Abisko?
Statistically speaking, scientists agreed that the Abisko Northern lights are among the most reliable in the world. Supposedly, there’s an 80% success rate of seeing the lights if you stay in Abisko for three nights.
Do the Northern Lights happen every night?
No. Huge geomagnetic storms, the kind that can cause very intense displays of the northern lights, don’t happen every night, even during solar maximum. During solar minimum, they still happen, just less frequently.
How long does aurora borealis last?
They don’t usually exhibit for long – they may only show for a few minutes, then glide away before returning. A good display may last for no longer than 15-30 minutes at a time, although if you’re really lucky, it could extend to a couple of hours or longer.
Is Norway or Sweden better for northern lights?
Norway is undoubtedly the best place for seeing the northern lights in Scandinavia, especially if you want to capture the aurora dancing above spectacular fjords and waterfalls. However, Sweden and Finland are both great options if you want to see the northern lights on a smaller budget.
How do I get to Abisko?
The national park is easy to get to by train, bus or car from Kiruna or Narvik. Both European route 10 and the railway go through the national park. The railway station in the national park is called Abisko Turist. The tourist station and Naturum visitor centre are right next to the highway and railway station.
Do the Northern Lights make noise?
What is clear is that the aurora does, on rare occasions, make sounds audible to the human ear. The eerie reports of crackling, whizzing and buzzing noises accompanying the lights describe an objective audible experience – not something illusory or imagined.