If you're planning a Northern Lights trip you'll naturally want to maximize your chances of getting the best sighting. There is much debate on the best times to see the lights and much discussion about at which point you're likely to get the best experience and capture the best photographs. Auroras are certainly one of the most beautiful of the world’s natural phenomena, and on a once in a lifetime Northern Lights trip you certainly don’t want to miss out. But how do you go about making sure this doesn’t happen? In the first instance, you need to book your trip with a reputable company that specialises in this region of the world. These experts have a wealth of experience and are fully cognisant of the best times and places that will afford you the most fulfilling, enjoyable and successful sightings.

What are they?

Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the phenomenon of the lights is caused primarily by activity on the sun. They occur when charged particles that originate from sun storms converge with atoms in the earth’s atmosphere. The resulting energy causes the colourful display, creating the aurora. A full moon has no effect on solar storms or geometric storms, which are what happens when this aurora activity takes place. However, a full moon does cast light in the sky so many people can be forgiven for assuming this light will dilute the effect of Aurora Borealis.

The Full Moon Effect

The effect of the full moon is actually fairly insignificant when compared to the strength of the aurora itself. A weak aurora display might be drowned in bright moonlight in a similar way that stars can be, but a strong aurora display can certainly withstand the brightness of a full moon. There are many photographs that exist to prove this point and some experts believe the full moon can actually enhance the display, especially if the aurora is very strong, as it lights up the foreground and makes the sky a much deeper blue instead of the harsh pitch-black you get when there is no moon.

Best Time to Enjoy a Northern Lights Trip

Although many people believe they should head out around the time of a new moon in order to get the best chance of seeing the display, this is not necessarily the case. Much more important to the strength of the aurora and the best sighting of it is the state of the solar pulse, which is the driving force behind the display. Coupled with how overcast the skies are it is this that determines the quality of the sighting. Whether there is a full moon or not, if the skies are cloudy you may not be able to see the display.

Equally important is choosing the place to visit on your Northern Lights trip. Rural areas with little or no artificial light are by far the best, and Abisko in Swedish Lapland is one of the favourites. If you book with a reputable travel company, they will have a range of short trips based in Abisko to choose from and will go a long way to offering you the best chance to see this most wonderful of Nature’s theatrical displays.

Kevin Collins is director of Aurora Nights, a company offering a select range of once in a lifetime holidays to see the Northern Lights. For the best Northern Lights trip Iceland and Swedish Lapland offer an excellent chance to encounter the aurora borealis. Aurora Nights is part of Weekend a la Carte, a family-run company with vast in-depth knowledge based on their extensive travels to the region of the Aurora Borealis and passionate about giving superb client service.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.