2026 Is The Last Time To Catch Northern Lights At Their Peak

While there aren't many official reports confirming that many of us share the same things on our ultimate bucket list, it is, nevertheless, quite alright to assume that most of us want to experience the Northern Lights.

To be honest, who in their right minds would not want to see the solar wind make our boring night sky radiate a violet light speckled with meteors. It is one of nature's most spectacular displays- not to mention- one of those rarities that you have to really be lucky enough to witness.

Unless you have astraphobia, which is an entirely different story, most of us only wish we could see them with our naked eyes at least once in our lifetime.

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Moreover, Aurora Borealis is that ghostly glow that makes you believe in the larger than life and really appreciate the workings of the universe beyond human existence. Its breathtakingly beautiful and totally worth travelling to the best spots to catch the charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere for auroras to occur.

But these places are obviously way from the cities we live in as there are low chances of spotting it under the terrible light and air pollution and at a low density destination. With a lot of patience, one needs to be at the right spot at the right time to catch the sky turn technicolor.

So, if you're planning an aurora hunting trip, 2026 might be the best year to do it. According to the recent meteorological reports, the best time to catch Northern Lights in a decade.

Why 2026?

If you have been following astro-? lately, you'll know that we are approaching what's known as the 'solar maximum'. In simplest terms, the sun is about to get super energetic, something it does once every 11 years. Do the math and the last time it happened was in 2015.

The Northern Lights that result from the charged particles from the sun hitting the Earth’s surface, would become more visible during the period of high activity. This stretch from next winter until the following March would be the best time to catch the ghostly glows of northern lights unless you have the patience to wait until 2037 to even remotely have a better chance at spotting it!

So, what are the best spots and time to catch this once-in-a-lifetime experience?

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Best Places To Go To Spot Auroras

It is common knowledge that your top four picks would be the Nordic countries namely, Sweden, Iceland, Norway and Finland. These countries are fortunate to witness the green, violet, red glow for 200 days a year, some even from their backyards, can you believe it!

Since, our backyards only show us other buildings and a dark sky in the night, planning a trip to Þingvellir National Park, just outside of Reykjavik or Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in Iceland, would be two of the best spots in Nordic country to visit.

If you are planning to make a trip to Sweden and one of the things on your itinerary is experiencing the northern lights, Abisko National Park is a known hotspot for seeing the lights in the country and so add that to your "where to watch aurora borealis" list.

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The other hotspot that often comes up in conversation around auroras is Finland's Lapland. It is the perfect spot for family ski trips and aurora borealis spotting.  Alternatively, head to Oulu where the Aurora Borealis are commonly sighted.

Lastly,places like Tromsø and Svalbard in Norway offer full-on Aurora experiences including glass-topped igloos to stay in, excursions to viewing spots, and uniquely, very short days. At the height of winter, Svalbard basically doesn’t see daylight, meaning you could see the lights at pretty much any time but also brace yourself for the extremely cold weather.

While these Nordic countries are not the only places you can spot the northern lights, you can try your luck in Canadian territories of Yukon and Nunavut, some parts of Scotland and England, the best bet is one of the Nordic counties and 2026.