If you re planning an aurora viewing trip make sure not to schedule it in the middle of summer.
When and where can i see the northern lights in scotland.
Thanks to the absence of light pollution and the fact that northern scotland lies at the same latitude as nunivak island alaska or stavanger norway it is the perfect location to spot northern lights.
You could celebrate christmas in a loch side lodge toast hogmanay the new year in january in edinburgh or take advantage of less rain in february.
We saw them in september in 2015 2017 and 2019.
While the northern reaches of scotland offer better chances of spotting the mirrie dancers the aurora can be seen anywhere in scotland when the right conditions are met and where the light pollution is at a minimum.
Alaska is in the aurora oval which is where the lights are.
Other activities visitors can enjoy in late summer.
On clear nights you can see aurora borealis as early as in october.
The best places to see northern lights in scotland as we already mentioned the northern lights have been on occasion been seen in pretty much every corner of scotland from edinburgh to inverness.
Shetland orkney and caithness eg.
Here s a list of some of the best places to see this marvel.
The aurora are only visible in dark skies so the best time of year to see the northern lights in scotland is the autumn and winter months when the nights are longer and darker.
Where to spot them in scotland.
Visitors can expect to see the lights on an average of four out of five clear nights during aurora season which lasts from aug.
You need darkness to see the northern lights and places in the auroral zone have precious little of.
However as the light phenomenon is one created in the polar regions of the earth it makes sense that the further north you are the likelier you are to witness it.
In late march chances to see northern lights start to decrease dramatically.
The most suitable time to look for northern lights is winter when the skies are the darkest.
The midnight sun makes it impossible to see the northern lights.
The best time to see the northern lights in scotland is december through february the darkest months of the year.
Locals said that was quite early as normally they wouldn t see them until october.
Where to see the northern lights in scotland.
An alaska cruise with cunard on the queen elizabeth is one of the best ways to see the northern lights especially in august or september.