Aurora 2024

[cpuer]

Hi Season travelers, I am tasked to study some possible locations for this year Aurora sighting in Oct. I google and find this link:

https://travelinspires.org/5-of-the-cheapest-places-to-see-the-northern-lights/

Any recommendation among this 4(Russia is out)? Or you have other that is better and cheaper?

 

[beanstalk6]

It is better that you search "northern lights" in this Europe forum.
Alaska is an option. So are Iceland, Norway and Finland. The content at the link you gave comes from a British perspective.

 

[winningeleven]

I suggest iceland. Even u can't catch it, the country is still very nice to visit . Go drive the whole ring road

 

[Unclemun]

Norway, Finland are popular too.
Watch some Youtube videos and you will get a better picture.

I recommend the Lofoten Islands in Norway as it is quite accessible by road.

 

[cpuer]

thanks guys, i'm think i will go for Tromso and do a few days city tour when transiting at Oslo. But lately there's lots of gps jamming near Baltic, otherwise I would like to make a stop at Talinn too

 

[beanstalk6]

thanks guys, i'm think i will go for Tromso and do a few days city tour when transiting at Oslo. But lately there's lots of gps jamming near Baltic, otherwise I would like to make a stop at Talinn too

How will the GPS jamming affect you? Isn't it affecting only aircraft? Has any flight been cancelled?

 

[cpuer]

How will the GPS jamming affect you? Isn't it affecting only aircraft? Has any flight been cancelled?

haha, as i will be using their planes, i kiasi

 

[belgarathc]

If northern lights is the main purpose, I believe Tromso is the most suitable and it still offer various activites for winter (snow mobile, dog sledding..). It is fairly easy to go hunting for the lights either on your own or to join some tours. We are currently here and already caught them on the past 2 nights. If you have special interest to visit Tallinn, an option is to fly from SG to Helsinki (direct) and Helsinki to Tromso (direct). Spend a couple of nights at Helsinki where you can take a quick ferry ride to Tallinn for a day trip or overnight trip.

About the other suggested destinations for northern lights, I am not sure about Scotland. But Iceland and Abisko seem better as summer destinations for first time visitors. Iceland is also quite accessible but driving the ring road around summer allows for more sight seeing and activities. For Abisko, you need to fly to Kiruna, likely via Stockholm, then take a train. Abisko is the famous starting point (or ending point) for the King's Trail. The STF mountain cabin there is a very nice place to stay though.

 

[cpuer]

If northern lights is the main purpose, I believe Tromso is the most suitable and it still offer various activites for winter (snow mobile, dog sledding..). It is fairly easy to go hunting for the lights either on your own or to join some tours. We are currently here and already caught them on the past 2 nights. If you have special interest to visit Tallinn, an option is to fly from SG to Helsinki (direct) and Helsinki to Tromso (direct). Spend a couple of nights at Helsinki where you can take a quick ferry ride to Tallinn for a day trip or overnight trip.

About the other suggested destinations for northern lights, I am not sure about Scotland. But Iceland and Abisko seem better as summer destinations for first time visitors. Iceland is also quite accessible but driving the ring road around summer allows for more sight seeing and activities. For Abisko, you need to fly to Kiruna, likely via Stockholm, then take a train. Abisko is the famous starting point (or ending point) for the King's Trail. The STF mountain cabin there is a very nice place to stay though.

Nice, suggestion on Helsinki to Talinn via ferry, that would save me the flying phobia there.

 

[beanstalk6]

haha, as i will be using their planes, i kiasi

Scare you lagi. Estonia is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and first in line as Russia's top enemy.

 

[cpuer]

Scare you lagi. Estonia is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and first in line as Russia's top enemy.

yes, I follow their situation on X, their lady PM very hiong one, I think Baltics 3 countries will be the next war front

 

[rrr2015]

anyone photograph aurora with mobile?

 

[belgarathc]

anyone photograph aurora with mobile?

Base on my experience, it is possible to take passable photos of aurora (okay for social media) simply using night mode on your mobile phones. If your phone has manual mode, you can tinker with the settings for better results. If you want to take photos of people with Aurora in the background, there is this trick to shine a torch briefly at the people while the photo is being captured. Probably difficult to do this without a tripod. Our host used a dslr with tripod and we are very glad to have these additional photos taken by him.

 

[rrr2015]

Base on my experience, it is possible to take passable photos of aurora (okay for social media) simply using night mode on your mobile phones. If your phone has manual mode, you can tinker with the settings for better results. If you want to take photos of people with Aurora in the background, there is this trick to shine a torch briefly at the people while the photo is being captured. Probably difficult to do this without a tripod. Our host used a dslr with tripod and we are very glad to have these additional photos taken by him.

yeah tripod is a must, very challenging shot especially for mobile. so actual aurora seen with naked eye was very faint right?

 

[belgarathc]

On the mobile phones, the northern lights are indeed much amplified. But it also depends on the intensity of the lights and your surroundings. One night it was mostly whitish streaks on the eyes but on another night, we can see faint green lights dancing.

 

[orhanzi]

tromso or finland to see aurora ?

 

[Unclemun]

To me, the aurora must be visible with the naked eye to be considered.

did not see it at STF Abisko (only visible in camera despite clear skies) or Tromsø (clouds)

Full glory Aurora at Lofoten Islands. Even the iPhone could produce good photos (wefie too).

 

[Unclemun]

tromso or finland to see aurora ?

Both are fine. Depends on the KP, clouds, moon

 

[orhanzi]

Both are fine. Depends on the KP, clouds, moon

heard this year aurora is one of the best and very strong light. i am set to go in nov .ooo

 

[orhanzi]

To me, the aurora must be visible with the naked eye to be considered.

did not see it at STF Abisko (only visible in camera despite clear skies) or Tromsø (clouds)

Full glory Aurora at Lofoten Islands. Even the iPhone could produce good photos (wefie too).

i am going lofoten and tromso