The Best Places In The World To See Them, Canada Reviews

The Northern Lights are one of the most magnificent shows our planet has to offer, and catching a glimpse of those glowing beams dancing across the sky is on pretty much everyone’s bucket list.

But have you noticed they’ve been a little easier to catch over the last couple of months? While witnessing the spectacle has historically involved trekking all the way to the edge of the Arctic Circle, the Northern Lights have been visible in the south of the UK, France, Belgium, Denmark and even parts of the USA this year. 

Why? Well, it’s because the sun is nearing its ‘solar maximum’ – the peak of its 11-year cycle – which is expected to last until mid-2025. 

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are giant eruptions of particles, are more likely to occur in this window, and it’s the collision of these with the oxygen and nitrogen in the earth’s atmosphere that produces the magnificent array of colours. The larger these storms, the further south they’re visible. 

So, where should you be headed if you’re keen to catch them next year? The safest bets are your classic Northern Lights destinations: think Iceland, Norway, Swedish Lapland, Finland, Greenland, Scotland and Canada (in fact, we’ve got a whole guide to these here). 

However, don’t give up hope in your home city – there are plenty of platforms ready and waiting to tell you when to look up. Keep an eye on AuroraReach, which offers visibility scores for cities all over the world. 

Did you see that the affordable, underrated ski resorts to try this season have been ranked?

Plus: This European country is getting a huge new undersea road tunnel. 

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