How to catch the aurora - a guide for the traveler

The Northern Lights are a uniquely beautiful phenomenon, the photographs of which often cause heated debate about the use of Photoshop. Unusual play of colors always evoke violent emotions and remain in the memory for a long time. To see this fantastic sight with your own eyes, you are not too lazy to make a whole journey.

The closest and most convenient place where residents of the European part of Russia can observe the polar lights is the city of Murmansk. A fantastic phenomenon appears at the end of August and lasts right up to April next year. Such a wide time period allows you to plan your trip in accordance with any wishes. Since the temperature in these places in winter drops to -35 degrees, many people prefer autumn trips. Some tourists go to the Arctic Circle exclusively in winter to arrange a real snow fairy tale for themselves.

There are several ways to get to Murmansk. The fastest of them is an airplane flight, which takes 2.5 hours from Moscow and 1.5 hours from St. Petersburg. It takes much longer to travel by train - 35 and 27 hours, respectively. Fans of travel by private car should take into account the long route, if you have to travel 1300 km to leave St. Petersburg. The roads are good, but it's better to take a second driver with you. There are a lot of hotels and hostels in Murmansk, so there should be no problems with housing.

Many tourists often ask such an interesting question: "Where is the best place to watch the northern lights?" How well a natural phenomenon will be seen and whether it will be noticeably depends on many factors. Only a cloudless sky can provide maximum visibility, so it is best to check the weather forecast before traveling. Color saturation depends on solar activity: the more the amount of energy emitted, the brighter and more noticeable the colors. It is also better to look for the northern lights away from settlements, at least 20 km from the city. Artificial light sources severely impair visibility.

Choosing a specific spot to view the northern lights is also challenging. In general, if there is no complete confidence in suitable weather conditions, it makes no sense to go anywhere. Nevertheless, there are 3 most popular and picturesque locations: the Khibiny Mountains, the village of Teriberka on the shores of the Barents Sea and the village of Lovozero.

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