Sweden
Northern lights in Kiruna
9 viewing spots around Kiruna, chosen for a dark sky and an open view. For each one: how dark it is, which way it looks, where to park and how to get there. Under the auroral oval: aurora can be overhead even on quiet nights.
- Viewing spots
- 9
- Dark or very dark
- 6
- Magnetic latitude
- 65.3°
- Clearest dark month
- March 36 % of hours clear or partly clear
Which of these spots is clear tonight, and when? Aurora Atlas scores every spot hour by hour from the cloud forecast, darkness, the moon and live aurora activity, with live camera stills and road notices.
See tonight's live scores for Kiruna in Aurora AtlasViewing spots
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Luossavaara, beyond the car park
Kiruna’s town mountain. The tourist office suggests walking a little past the car park for the best view over the…
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Torne river at Jukkasjärvi
The Torne river by Jukkasjärvi, home of the Icehotel, about 17 km east of Kiruna. In midwinter the frozen river gives…
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Torne river at Kurravaara
Small village on the Torne river a short drive north of Kiruna; the riverbank is darker than town and open along the…
- Poikkijärvi, Torne river Village on the Torne river just beyond Jukkasjärvi, often used as a base by local aurora tours.
- Camp Ripan · Kiruna Visit Kiruna Lapland's in-town tip: the Camp Ripan hotel and campsite installed specially shielded street lamps so the…
- Rautas rest area · E10 Trafikverket 'naturrastplats' with toilets and picnic tables on the E10 between Kiruna and Abisko: a legal, dark place…
- Nikkaluokta road-end car park Car park at the end of the Nikkaluokta road, the Kebnekaise trailhead; a very dark mountain-valley sky a little over…
- Bergfors car park · E10 by Torneträsk E10 car park at Bergfors, where the road first meets Torneträsk on the way from Kiruna to Abisko. Public shelters next…
- Suptallen rest area · road 45 Svappavaara–Vittangi Trafikverket rest area with toilets on the inland road (E45/road 45) east of Kiruna, a dark, legal stop for anyone…
Drive times are estimates from Kiruna by straight-line distance, as the app estimates them before it knows your route; ferries and winter closures are not counted.
Good to know in Kiruna
- Walk a little beyond the car park On Luossavaara, the view over the mountains opens up once you walk a short way past the car park, away from the cars’ lights. Source
- September and March are popular The aurora season runs from September to April. September and March combine high activity, often clear weather and much milder temperatures than midwinter. Source
- Check the IRF all-sky camera The Swedish Institute of Space Physics takes an all-sky image every minute in Kiruna, so you can see if the aurora is up before you drive out. Source