They Can Only Be Seen in the Arctic While the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are most commonly visible near the Arctic Circle, they can sometimes be seen at lower latitudes during solar activity, especially in northern parts of countries like Canada, Alaska, and even Scotland or Norway.
The Northern Lights Are Only Green Though green is the most common color of the Northern Lights, they can also appear in shades of pink, red, purple, yellow, and even blue. The colors depend on the type of gas molecules in the Earth's atmosphere and the altitude at which the lights are occurring.
The Northern Lights Are Always Visible in Winter While winter offers longer, darker nights for viewing, the Northern Lights can actually be seen year-round. However, summer months near the poles experience nearly constant daylight, so it’s best to plan your trip when it’s darker.
You Need a Special Camera to Capture Them While specialized cameras with long exposure settings may enhance the experience, modern smartphones can also capture the Northern Lights with the right settings, such as using a manual mode and setting a long exposure.
Northern Lights Are Just a Light Show The Northern Lights are caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This phenomenon isn’t just a beautiful light show but also a result of solar activity and geomagnetic forces at play.
The Northern Lights Are Visible Every Night The Northern Lights are not guaranteed to be visible every night. Their appearance depends on solar activity, weather conditions, and location. Clear, dark skies and solar storms increase the chances of seeing them.
You Need to Be Right Under the Lights to See Them You don’t need to be directly under the Northern Lights to experience them. They can be seen across vast areas, sometimes even from hundreds of miles away from the aurora oval, which is the region where the lights are most intense.