Short Notice Bookings Can Be A Good Idea.Are the Northern Lights Visible in All Kinds of Weather?.Can the Northern Lights Be Seen During Summer?.When is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Iceland?.It might even be a lucky plane for aurora chasers: “Coming from Toronto a few years back on the Hekla Aurora (TF-FIR), we got some of the best aurora lights I’ve ever seen while flying,” recalls Baldvinsson, sharing a photo of the view from the cockpit on Instagram. Images of Iceland’s winter lights are wrapped all along the fuselage, while the mood-lighting inside the cabin is uniquely programmed to reflect a Northern Lights experience. Double the fun on Icelandair’s Hekla Aurora aircraftĮnjoying the wonder of the Northern lights can begin as soon as passengers board Icelandair’s Hekla Aurora aircraft. “The flight attendants are usually very keen to see the Northern lights and often visit the cockpit to get a glimpse,” Baldvinsson says. Rather than relying on pilots to make announcements, Baldvinsson suggests that passengers ask their flight attendant to share info if and when the pilots see the Northern lights appear-information they tend to seek out anyway. And on Broome’s flight, there was nothing but gratitude: “As we deplaned, there were a lot of thank you's said to the pilot.” “Some passengers will want to sleep, so the pilots will most likely not make an announcement,” Baldvinsson says, though he admits he’s not immune to the impulse if he knows he won’t wake anyone up. “I have never received a complaint,” he says. However, it’s not typical for pilots to do this. “I vividly remember the pilot coming on the speaker in a quiet voice to gently wake up folks, saying, ‘Look to the left to see the Northern Lights.’ You could hear ooohs, aaahs, and wows repeatedly for the next few minutes as the entire plane took in the spectacular in the night sky.” Meteorologist and freelance travel and environment writer Jennifer Broome would have been disappointed during a trip to Iceland specifically to see the Northern lights since her plans were ultimately thwarted by bad weather-but fortunately, an Icelandair pilot stepped in on her Denver to Reykjavik flight. The best time to check for the aurora when flying to Iceland is after the meal service when the cabin lights are at their dimmest. Selecting a window seat is ideal, but if that’s not possible, make friends with whoever is seated there and kindly ask them to keep the window shade open if they plan to sleep through the flight. This would still mean sitting on the left, since most flights are coming into northwest Longyearbyen from Oslo. “Sitting on the left-hand side of the plane will also increase your chances.” While this is true for most Arctic destinations, travelers hunting aurora at the far reaches of Svalbard’s polar night, for example, will want to look south when flying in, as the Norwegian archipelago is latitudinally higher than the lights appear. When it comes to Icelandair, “the best routes for seeing lights are the evening departures from the US and Canada,” Baldvinsson says. Next, pick a route through which the aurora appears. Even so, summer is the only time when you absolutely won’t see them, Baldvinsson says, because that’s when Iceland gets sunlight 24 hours a day. This usually means the Northern lights appear between October and March, but chances are better during the deepest parts of winter, from January to February-especially during or close to a new moon, or if there’s going to be a solar flare. First, know that the aurora is visible during the winter months they are supercharged solar particles interacting with atmospheric gasses, so they require the absence of light to be seen. Logistics are essential when it comes to seeing the Northern lights from a commercial flight. Timing and location can make all the difference This isn’t to say you should cancel your Northern lights tour, but if a plane ride can increase your chances of seeing them, then it’s absolutely worth it to try. “They’re still completely magnificent, and for many people that will likely be the only time they get to see them,” Luebbe adds. While seeing the Northern lights from the ground remains the ideal angle-especially for photography-it’s a special feeling to be up there in the sky alongside the aurora.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |