The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural light display in the sky, primarily visible at high latitude regions. It is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with the Earth’s magnetic field. The northern lights occur when these particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere and collide with gas particles, causing the ionization or excitation of these particles. The ionized particles return to their ground state, releasing energy in the form of photons. This process gives rise to the emission of light of various colors and shapes in the sky, creating the aurora borealis.
Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights due to its location within the auroral oval. The northern lights season in Iceland typically runs from September to April, with the best viewing months being October to March. During this time, the nights are long and dark, providing ample opportunities to witness this natural phenomenon.
