It known as the aurora borealis, are a spectacular natural light show visible at certain times of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
World's Hidden Places
Fairbanks, Alaska
It is the best places in the world to view the northern lights, as it's located directly under the auroral oval. This ring-shaped zone sits over the Earth's geomagnetic North Pole, where aurora activity is concentrated.
Tromsø, Norway
Located 220 miles above the Arctic Circle, it is the top spots to view the northern lights in Norway. The northern part of the country is dark in the early afternoon until late morning from the end of September to late March.
Holland America Line
Lapland is located within the Arctic Circle in the northernmost part of Finland. The northern lights are most visible here between the end of August and April – and approximately 200 times a year – so there are many opportunities for aurora spotting.
Orkney, Scotland
located about 10 miles from Scotland's remote northern coast, is one of the best places to see the northern nights. Fall and winter are the best seasons to witness the aurora, also known in local dialect as the "Mirrie Dancers."
Yellowknife, Canada
The capital of Canada's Northwest Territories, is also known as the "Aurora Capital of North America." With its position in the middle of the auroral oval, the city puts on one of the world's most awe-inspiring light shows from mid-November to the beginning of April.
Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
The optimal time for seeing the illuminated skies in the northern part of Sweden, in Swedish Lapland, is between early September and late March.
Reykjavik, Iceland
October through March is the best time to chase the aurora borealis in Iceland. There are many small villages throughout the country where you can view the show during the long and dark winter
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Greenland may not be the most accessible place to travel for viewing the northern lights, but those who make it there will be thrilled they did.
Mackinaw City, Michigan
Regarded as one of the top spots in the U.S. to see the aurora, Headlands International Dark Sky Park sits at the top of Michigan's lower peninsula, less than 5 miles from Mackinaw City.