When it comes to travelling to Lapland, it is the top option. In Finland, the train is a damn good option. Today, more and more people take the environmentally friendly approach when thinking about what is the most sensible way to travel. During his travels to Lapland, he favours the night train because of its ease, but also because of its environmental friendliness. The Northern Lights are conveniently and comfortably accessible when you take the night train, according to Markus. Waiting for the Northern Lights can get surprisingly cold. You should also dress warmly for your Northern Lights trip. Once they appear in the sky, your patience is rewarded handsomely. Spotting the Northern Lights takes patience. until the early hours of the morning, Markus says. At midnight, the likelihood of seeing them is at its highest, but you should also watch the sky for the Northern Lights from six p.m. The Northern Lights follow a clear daily rhythm. Northern Lights have a clear daily rhythm Kuva: Matila Röhr Productions (Marko Junttila) In Helsinki, for example, the probability of seeing the Northern Lights is only one night a month, so the probability of seeing them decreases a lot when you move south. The location has a big impact on the probability of seeing the Northern Lights. In any case, you should move away from light pollution to the darkest place possible, Markus says. If you are travelling with your own car or using a rental car, for example, you can try to look for a place where the sky is clear of clouds. Even if the forecast says that the probability is small, the Northern Lights may still be visible in the sky. However, you should not trust them completely. The Northern Lights forecasts usually give you some clues. The Northern Light predictions are based on measuring solar activity which is then used to predict the probability of the Northern Lights. They area available, for example, on the space weather page of the Finnish Meteorological Institute or in the My Aurora Borealis application. You can also look at the Northern Lights forecasts. Often, the fells also influence where the clouds go. You can look up satellite and radar images to see how clouds move. It is worth following the cloud forecasts. In reality, there rarely is a completely clear sky, Markus says. Even if the weather forecasts look cloudy, do not give up hope. However, you need a cloudless sky to see the Northern Lights. Statistically, there can be Northern Lights at Kilpisjärvi as often as three nights out of four, and on the Kolari-Sodankylä axis they are visible every other night. You are most likely to see the Northern Lights on the 70th parallel latitude, from Kilpisjärvi and Utsjoki to Northern Norway. The magnetic field’s shape helps the particles move towards the polar region. The Northern Lights are created when the particles collide with the atmosphere. The sun is constantly erupting and the solar winds move particles towards the earth. The Northern Lights are especially visible in Lapland because the area is close to the polar region. Where are the Northern Lights seen most often? In addition to the best time for Northern Lights, the darkness and the clear sky, you also need a northern location.
The moon reflects a lot more light than you might think, which can make it difficult to see the Northern Lights, he continues.
Markus also says that you should avoid the times around full moons if you want to see the Northern Lights.
The early spring is also a good time to travel to Lapland for the Northern Lights, because in February-March the cloud cover is minimal, unlike in early winter, Markus says. So autumn and late winter are the best times for seeing the Northern Lights During the winter solstice, the earth's magnetic field undergoes changes that slightly reduce the probability of seeing the Northern Lights. During those times, the earth is in a position where the sun shines directly towards the equator and the magnetic field is shaped so that it best directs the particles leaving the sun to the North and South Pole regions. You are most likely to see the Northern Lights near the autumnal and spring equinox. This is why the Northern Lights are mainly visible from September to April. The Northern Lights are present all year round, but they are only visible to us if the sky is sufficiently dark and clear. Autumn and late winter are the best seasons for Northern Lights
Meteorologist Markus Mäntykannas gave us a few tips on how to organise the trip if you want to see the Northern Lights. Many go to Lapland for the Northern Lights. Meteorologist's tips for seeing the Northern Lights