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I’ve met many people during mid-summer in Iceland asking where they can see the Northern lights. I hate to be the one to burst their bubble. The Northern Lights are the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar winds and can only be seen with a black backdrop (at night-time). The summers in Iceland however have no nights! So, they are only visible during winter when the days are shorter and there's a lot of darkness. Oh, and the sky has to be clear too (no clouds).
Even the lights from the city can disturb the beautiful visual. Driving outside the city is recommended. If you don’t have a car, I recommend going on a northern lights tour or putting distance between you and city lights.
Info
When is the best time to see the northern lights?
Between September and March, in the evenings/during the nights.
Clouds! are the number one thing blocking you from seeing the Aurora. Check out this Aurora Forecast, which is a cloud forecast. Make sure you click "All Clouds" above the map. This can help you gauge when your area will have clear skies
Remember my formula for seeing the Northern Lights:
No clouds + Winter + Darkness = High probability of seeing Aurora
If you are staying in the city and spot northern lights I suggest driving slightly out of the town to avoid light pollution as it distorts your view.
Can you take a photo of the Northern lights?
Yes, you should be able to use your smartphone. You might need to play around with the settings though, so consider putting some thought into it beforehand.
If you are driving around the countryside keep your eyes on the sky in the evenings!
If you don't have a car you can book a northern lights tour with a company like Reykjavik Excursion. The driver will take you where you have the highest probability of Aurora sightings at the time. You can also get a new ticket for free if you don't see anything.
It's pretty simple ;)
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