Northern Lights

One mention of the wonder of nature that is the Northern Lights and the mind is immediately transported to the frozen wildernesses of the north and destinations such as Abisko, one of the premier destinations to view the Northern Lights in Sweden. While you are in the Abisko National Park or the surrounding Kiruna Mountains you have a very high likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights dance in green over your head. If you’re lucky you will get to witness them take on colours ranging through purple, blue, yellow or even red. Whether the Northern Lights in Abisko show themselves in the form of curtains, spirals, arcs or coronas, you can rest assured that it will be a sight that you will never forget!

One of nature’s finest shows originates nearly one hundred and fifty million kilometers away from our Sun. The Aurora is the result of the solar wind’s interaction with the Earth’s magnetosphere, temporarily increasing the energy level of atoms in the upper atmosphere. The excess energy is then released, mostly in the form of visible light seen as magnificent displays in the night sky that have mesmerized people in the polar regions for thousands of years.

Galileio accordingly gave the Aurora its name from the Greek goddess of dawn after mistaking its glow for the rising sun being reflected in the atmosphere. Lights that appear on the northern hemisphere are called Aurora Borealis, in turn named after the god of the north wind.

Abisko and the Kiruna Mountains

Abisko National Park in the Kiruna mountains sets the scene for their arrival with crystal clear skies, pristine snow capped peaks and the clean mountain air. Abisko is one of the most popular destinations to see the Northern Lights in Sweden due to its location in a low precipitation micro-climate. This means that Abisko has more clear nights than virtually any other of the destinations frequently located within the auroral oval – the area on our planet where the polar lights are currently visible.

Keeping track of when the northern lights will be displayed during an evening can require a lot of work, but we have got a fantastic and easy solution for you that can be used before, during and after your visit to Abisko. Our dear friends at Lights Over Lapland have a webcam that takes photos in Abisko every 5 minutes all day long. These are perfectly displayed in the northwest and northeast view of Abisko to capture the northern lights once they display themselves. When they do, it is absolutely amazing!

Want to start your northern lights journey and experience them beforehand already? Head over to their webcams and take a look!