We are still determining when the solar maximum will arrive. It will be announced when it happens. The US-based National Oceanic and Aerospace Administration (NOAA) originally forecasted the peak of Solar Cycle 25 to occur in July 2025. However, they have since revised this estimate to early to mid-2024.
Solar Maximum is the period of the Solar Cycle during which the highest number of sunspots appear. This is caused by the overall activity of the sun. Each Solar Cycle lasts for approximately 11 years, and this is the 25th Solar Cycle that has been observed and recorded. More sunspots result in more solar flares and a more interesting solar wind, which, on Earth, means a heightened level of Northern Lights during the years on either side of the Solar Maximum.
To best see the difference between what's happening on the sun, I made a comparison of Solar Flares and Active Regions of the heliosphere between December 10th 2019 and December 10th 2023:
Aurora Mechanics - High-Speed Lesson
The solar wind drives the Aurora Polaris (collective term for northern and southern lights). Several things can happen that may result in the right conditions, including solar flares resulting in CMEs, a hot topic right now. In any case, we're being bombarded by Helium plasma from the sun. This plasma comes at speeds of hundreds of km per second with varying densities, charges, and polarities. The solar wind's speed and composition change and it's affected by what's happening in front of it and behind it. For example, a CME can compress the solar wind ahead, or a coronal hole can increase the speed to enhance solar wind. The entire science behind the Aurora is young, and forecasting space weather is complicated. The gist of what we need is a strong Interplanetary Magnetic Field (Bt) and a negative polarity in the solar wind. This isn't essential - it's a guide more than a rule.
During Solar Maximum, we expect more of the right conditions to present themselves more often. We're already seeing an increase in the number of substorms and their intensities. As the solar wind travels to Earth, it interacts with our magnetosphere and can be drawn into our upper atmosphere. When the particles hit the gas particles, atoms can exchange, releasing the energy as light. This causes us to see lights in the skies in polar regions. The most common colours are aquamarine and green, but recently, on the way to Solar Maximum, we've had some incredible colours here in Lofoten, Norway.
Where and when to see the Aurora
We’re based on the island of Svinøya in Svolvær in Lofoten, Norway, at 68˚ North. We can see the whole auroral oval, and when we see the Aurora on the horizon, we see it 10˚ away, which is 11,110km. It was overhead Oslo, Stockholm, Shetland Islands, and the upper continental USA. Taking another 10˚ into account, it would have been visible on the northern horizon as far south as the European Alps or Texas! The answer is simple to answer the most commonly asked questions of when and where to see the Northern Lights. There's no better time than the present; the best places are in the Auroral Oval. Finding clear skies is the more significant challenge, but I'd recommend using the local knowledge of a local guide.
A Northern Lights Hunt is more accurately described as a cloud evasion tour. Your guide should fully understand the local weather systems to be able to find the clearest skies, maximising your aurora-watching time, and taking the hard work away from you.
What to expect
Because the Aurora Borealis is driven by the solar wind and its visibility and strength are determined by many variables, it won't always be strong, vivid or dynamic. My best advice for those who want to see and shoot the Aurora is to give it about a week to increase your chances of something great happening. Be ready for anything and expect the unexpected. The Space Weather Prediction Centre, NOAA, and other agencies do an outstanding job of forecasting space weather and observing solar events. Still, sometimes, things slip through the cracks, and we get surprises. Always have your camera, batteries and memory cards ready because the Aurora won't wait for you. If you see something happening in the sky, get outside immediately so you don't miss it.
The aurora can be aquamarine, green, blue, purple, lilac, pink, red, or white. Sometimes, the colours can be pretty faint, especially early in the evening when the auroral oval is arriving overhead, so take test shots with your camera or smartphone if you think you can see something. Your camera can pick up on the differences much more easily than your eye, which isn’t optimised to see colours well in the dark. When the show gets going, it will be easy to see the colours.
What to wear
When you go out to see the Northern Lights, you should anticipate the weather to be cold. The clouds act like a blanket, trapping in the warmth, so when the clouds aren’t present, it can get very cold, especially if there’s a little wind from the north. Being cold can distract you from having a great experience and taking amazing photos, so be sure to wrap up warmly and pay particular attention to the parts of your body where heat escapes quickly, such as your hands, feet, face, and neck. Seeing the Northern Lights is high on many people's bucket lists, and we want you to realise this dream, so feel free to ask us anything. Good luck!
Written by Dave Williams - @idavewilliams for Svinøya Rorbuer
LOFOTEN IS ONE OF THE BEST NORTHERN LIGHTS DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD.
The Northern Lights also called the Aurora Borealis, is a magical phenomenon and nature's most spectacular light show. People come from all corners of the world traveling to Northern Norway to experience this light phenomenon. But what makes Lofoten one of the world's best and most exciting destinations for experiencing the Northern Lights?
