[JamesW95]

I'm thinking about taking a trip to see the northern lights in Iceland. It's something I've always wanted to do.

I was wondering what time would be best to go? I'm thinking maybe March 2015. Have any of you been?

[spalex]

I was there in December. Drive you about 2 hours out into the country side. You sit there for 3 hours, then drive back.
If you don't see anything, then they will take you out there for free the next day.

I cant remember how much it was.
There was a surprising amount of tourists there.

Having beers at the Blue Lagoon in winter is pretty awesome.

[Courage Reborn]

I dropped the cash, and hardly saw any lights. It was 99% black sky for 2-3 hours. A hint sliver of green for a few minutes. Very anti-climactic.

It's too unreliable. They call it a "mystery" tour, because it's a mystery as to if you'll actually see them or not.

[Goldmund]

This is something I need to see one day.

About 10 years ago, in mid-winter, I was driving in upstate NY, around midnight, and the sky started turning bright red.

Dozens of cars pulled over on the side of the road and people were staring at the sky as it became a deeper shade of red.

It was incredible, and very unexpected, no one thought the aurora could be seen that far south...but apparently, it can.

[heavy]

That'd be pretty awesome. I've seen it a number of times from Michigan's Upper Peninsula right over Lake Superior...pretty frickin amazing when they streak up more than halfway across the sky above your head.
   
(not my pic)

[Rang off the Pipe]

Aurorae come from something that we wouldn't be able to live without (Earth's magnetosphere). I'd say they're a very good thing to see despite their aesthetic qualities.

[cool guy]

This is bad ass I saw them when I was in the Army stationed in Alaska they are absolutely beautiful. I think this is someting everyone must see at least once in their life. Aurora Borealis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora

[Dr. Howard]

Its not as random as you'd think. Canada has a space weather agency that does solar weather predictions, keep an eye out for high storms and then go looking for the lights then. http://www.spaceweather.gc.ca/index-eng.php

[scotian]

Every year hundreds of Japanese newly weds flock to the Yukon to shag in tipis under the northern lights, apparently its good luck to conceive that way.

[speakeasy]

(07-28-2014 03:55 PM)heavy Wrote:  

That'd be pretty awesome. I've seen it a number of times from Michigan's Upper Peninsula right over Lake Superior...pretty frickin amazing when they streak up more than halfway across the sky above your head.

(not my pic)

Aurora has been visible from as far south as Los Angeles if there's a particularly big dose of particles from the sun. I remember one year they had it, but it wasn't really visible from the city as there's too much light pollution but I saw some photos from the mountains and there was a faint reddish tint in the northern sky.