Destinations

Where to see the northern lights

398 hand-picked viewing spots in 35 destinations, each with its darkness, its view, parking and how to get there. The Aurora Atlas app scores every one of them for tonight.

Get tonight’s scores in the app

Green band: where the auroral oval usually sits (magnetic latitude 65–72°). The boxed area from Tromsø to Abisko is enlarged below it. Swipe the map for Iceland and Svalbard. Coastlines: Natural Earth.

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The places most people ask about first.

Norway

17 destinations · 199 spots

Tromsø and Lyngen

Lofoten and Vesterålen

Senja, Narvik and Harstad

Finnmark

Bodø and Helgeland

Svalbard

Svalbard 4 spots2 dark sky Pictured: Adventdalen Poleward of the auroral oval · clearest in Mar

Sweden

6 destinations · 50 spots

Finland

6 destinations · 71 spots

Iceland

6 destinations · 78 spots

Next on the map

30 more destinations are on the way in Faroe Islands, Greenland, United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Aurora Atlas already gives a score for any place in the world. Hand-picked viewing spots arrive destination by destination.

Faroe Islands: Faroe Islands
Greenland: Kangerlussuaq, Nuuk, Ilulissat
United Kingdom: Shetland, Caithness & North Coast, Isle of Skye, Cairngorms, Orkney, Northumberland
Ireland: Inishowen
USA: Fairbanks, Anchorage, Marquette & Keweenaw, Brooks Range (Coldfoot & Wiseman), Ely & Grand Marais (Boundary Waters), Straits of Mackinac
Canada: Yellowknife, Whitehorse, Jasper, Dawson City, Banff, Churchill, Inuvik, Fort Smith
New Zealand: Lake Tekapo (Aoraki Mackenzie), Stewart Island / Rakiura, The Catlins, Queenstown
Australia: Hobart & southern Tasmania

Photo credits

Tromsø, Sommarøy: “Sommarøy 2 The first aurora (52923388783)” by Alexandre Hertzog from Porto, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Lofoten, Reinehalsen viewpoint · Reine: “Aurora Borealis (Northern Light) over Reine, Lofoten, Norway2” by Christoph Strässler, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Alta, Leirbotnvannet rest area · E6: “Alta Leirbotnvannet lub 2025-07-18” by Lukas Beck, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Bodø, Ureddplassen · Gildeskål: “Minnesmonument over 'Uredd'” by TorbjørnS, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Senja, Tungeneset rest area: “Steinfjorden from Tungeneset in Senja, Troms og Finnmark, Norway, 2022 August” by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Narvik, Bjørnfjell · E10 mountain plateau: “E 10 near the border of Sweden in Narvik, Nordland, Norway, 2023 September” by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Harstad, Elgsnes manor · Harstad: “Elgsnes, Norway - panoramio” by Michal Gorski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Svalbard, Adventdalen: “Aurora Boreal em Adventdalen” by Andre Shutterbird, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
North Cape, Slettnes lighthouse · Gamvik: “Gamvik, Norway - panoramio (2)” by VogelainenMikael, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Vesterålen, Andenes · north shore: “Nordlys-over-Andenes” by Trond.abrahamsen, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Lyngenfjord, Reisadalen · valley road: “Reisa valley, (summer 2002) - panoramio” by Heikki Immonen, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Varanger, Ekkerøy · Vadsø: “Ekkerøy 01” by Johannes Grødem, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Abisko, Aurora Sky Station · Nuolja: “Aurora sky station” by Mohsen Ramezanimofrad, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Kiruna, Torne river at Kurravaara: “Kurravaara in winter” by Gerrit, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Luleå, Gammelstad Church Town: “Nederluleå Kyrkstad 2016 26” by Jan Ainali, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Hemavan, Tjulträsk car park · Ammarnäs: “004a Stor-Tjulträsk Ammarnäs-Weitwinkel print-65.9641, 16.045854” by Hans Tbg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Jokkmokk, Laponia viewpoint · E45 north of Jokkmokk: “Vajkijaure (3938465886)” by larsjuh, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Levi, Pallastunturi visitor centre (Pallas–Yllästunturi NP): “Aurora arch over Pallastunturi in Muonio, Finland, 2019 January” by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Inari, Lake Inari shore, Inari village: “Northern lights band swirls above Vuopajanniemi, Inari, Lapland, Finland, 2018 March” by Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Rovaniemi, Arktikum / Arctic Garden: “Arktikum and Northern Lights” by Pekka Koski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Pyhä-Luosto, Ukko-Luosto summit: “Lapland, Finland - panoramio (22)” by VogelainenMikael, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Ruka, Riisitunturi fell top · Posio: “Riisitunturi (39133832090)” by Timo Newton-Syms from Helsinki, Finland & Maidenhead, Berkshire, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Kilpisjärvi, Lakeside shelter, Kilpisjärvi hiking centre: “Lake Kilpisjärvi in Enontekiö, Lapland, Finland, 2021 September” by Ninara, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Reykjavík, Þingvellir (Hakið viewpoint): “Iceland Aurora 1” by Carl Young, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Akureyri, Svalbarðseyri: “Aurora Are You There (163069387)” by Fernando Garcia, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
South Coast, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon: “Aurora Borealis over Jökulsárlón ice beach (16283783717)” by sergejf, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Snæfellsnes, Kirkjufellsfoss · Kirkjufell: “Aurora Borealis activity on top of the Kirkjufell mountain in September 2018” by vaidyanathan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
East Iceland, Hengifoss car park: “Path to Hengifoss (29821470955)” by Luca Temporelli, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).
Westfjords, Ósvör, Bolungarvík: “Osvor Maritime Museum, Bolungarvik, Iceland (48805526132)” by Barry Marsh from London, England, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (resized).