Northern lights best in a decade this December

Norway's official travel guide is expecting a surge of tourists rushing to see the Northern Lights this winter after NASA scientists predicted a new December peak in solar maximum activity.

Published: 14 October 2013 10:47 CEST

Northern lights best in a decade this December

Northern Lights in Hillesoy - Frank Olsen

"We're expecting an increase from last year, which was already a peak year," Mona Raa Ravndal of Visit Norway told The Local. "There's been a gradual increase in tourists coming to see the Northern Lights since about 2007."

Senior NASA scientists are predicting that this December will offer the best conditions for seeing the Northern Lights in at least the next decade.

Todd Hoeksema, the Director of the Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University, said in a NASA video released in August that the sun was set to undergo a "solar flip", a “complete field reversal” of its polar magnetic fields.

The Northern Lights phenomenon, known to scientists as Aurora Borealis, is dependent on an eleven year solar cycle, with the “solar flip” period offering the most vibrant colours, and clearest definition.

Member comments

Become a Member to leave a comment.