Quick Note on Northern Lights

Recently I got to see the northern lights, and they were every bit as magical as I had hoped. I’d seen the northern lights once before, but they weren’t very bright, and since I was in downtown Reykjavík, the artificial lighting detracted from their magnificence. This time, I was able to see them under a darker sky and to take pictures. At about 8 pm one day last week, I went outside because I heard the northern lights would be out. Initially, I couldn’t see anything, and I was disappointed. Suddenly, I spotted a green glow hiding behind the room of a building. It turned out to be what I was hoping for! I wandered down to the harbour and I was able to see the northern lights much better. They were a pale greenish glow that glided slowly across the night sky. The northern lights can’t be properly explained until you see them in person – there’s nothing quite like them. I stayed out for an hour just watching the northern lights dance above my head. I saw them two nights ago as well, although I didn’t get to take a picture. Winter is long and cold in Iceland, but the darkness brings out the northern lights, which is one great advantage of the season.