Matt Robinson

Spectacular Northern Lights Displays in March 2023

Written by Matt Robinson
Tuesday, 14 March 2023

SPECTACULAR NORTHERN LIGHTS DISPLAYS IN MARCH

The Northern Lights have made the headlines throughout February and March this year, with spectacular displays observed at our holiday destinations in the Arctic Circle.
The displays were so strong, they were even seen on the horizon across the UK.

But did we know this was going to happen and why?

Peter Forister Small
Credit - Peter Forister


Ali Mclean

March is the best time to see the Northern Lights

I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked when the best time is to see the Northern Lights but, my answer is always the same: March.

However, despite numerous blogs, interviews, and social media output, frustratingly, I have never been able to convince our clientele about the merits of the year’s third month. I honestly do not understand why but, the best month for hunting the Northern Lights remains one of our quietest aurora chasing months.

It is baffling.

The scientific evidence is compelling and includes painstaking research from NASA proving that geomagnetic activity is historically at its highest in the weeks around the spring equinox (20 March 2022). What does geomagnetic activity make? That’s right, the Aurora Borealis.

graph12


Joanna Robertson

Spring is here and so are the Northern Lights!

Written by Joanna Robertson
Tuesday, 19 March 2019

07.03.19 Ben 17 of 24 RESIZED Credit Ben Murgatroyd

As we have mentioned in many a previous blog, March is a brilliant time to go in search of the Northern Lights. This is not just our personal opinion either! Studies by NASA solar physicist David Hathaway show that March is one of the most geomagnetically active months of the year (see graph below), and the reason for this is springtime. Or to be more accurate the spring equinox.


Ali Mclean

Muotka Credit Matt Robinson 9

We’ve touted March as a great time to hunt for the Northern Lights until we are blue in the face. This is because there is very good scientific reasoning to support our assertion that March is the best of the winter months for witnessing the Aurora Borealis.


Joanna Robertson

Why you should travel in March to see the Northern Lights

Written by Joanna Robertson
Tuesday, 12 February 2019

A Pietikäinen

Many people associate the Northern Lights with the cold depths of winter, and though we have seen some excellent displays come out of our Aurora Zone destinations this season, we’re also extremely excited to see what March will bring.


Ali Mclean

The Proof is Very Much in the Auroral Pudding

Written by Ali Mclean
Tuesday, 29 March 2016

If you receive our newsletter you may recall that we recently highlighted that the Northern Lights occur more frequently in especially around the spring and autumn equinoxes.

The essence of the article was as follows:

“One strange side effect of the equinox is a dramatically increased likelihood of auroras………….

NASA data shows that geomagnetic disturbances are twice as likely to occur around the equinoxes (March-April), (September-October) than around the solstices. Why? The answer is likely the same reason for the season: axial tilt." 

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(Image taken 17/03/16 by Antti Pietikainen)


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The Aurora Zone was born from a desire to share Mother Nature’s greatest wonder with our clients. We’ve explored the destinations, researched the science, and fallen in love with the Scandinavian way of life. It’s our mission to pass this knowledge on to you, providing you with the very best chance of experiencing the magic for yourself on your Northern Lights holiday.

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