Northern lights holiday?

[Leegsi]

Has anyone done a trip/holiday to watch the northern lights?

[brantuk]

I know someone who won a free weekend in Finland at the Ice Hotel to see the Northern lights - she loved it - worth every penny

[Breakintheclouds]

I spent a week in Iceland once and desperately hoped to see the lights. Clouded over every single night.

You know, with hindsight I should have guessed back then that I'd eventually get into astronomy. You know... plans involving the night sky... cloud... more cloud... There's a definite pattern

[Dame]

I've done one of the flights from East Midlands a couple of years ago. It was through Omega (no connection to them!). Pete Lawrence was onboard along with Nigel Bradbury who both gave commentary on the night sky outside the aircraft. Pete was also advising on camera settings to try and snap the lights.

As part of the trip Paul Money and Pete Lawrence gave a presentation on the Northern Lights at a school before transferring to the airport for the flight.

The flight lasted approx 2 hours and flew up to the northern edge of Scotland.

All the interior cabin lights were turned off and the pilot managed clearance to turn the outside lights out too.

As you can imagine on a plane and a small window it means shuffling seats with the other people on the same row as yourself, but nothing major with the reward of catching a view of the lights.

I did manage to see a glimmer of the lights but not of a major display.

A disclaimer was stated when booking and during the trip that they are a natural occurance and cannot be guaranteed.

[Lowstar]

Never been on a trip to view them but have watched them from my location here on two occasions. (N.I)

Very nice indeed . However, you really have to stop yourself telling all and sundry to run outside and check out the sky!! I remember standing in the local petrol station practically driving the oblivious patrons out the door to have a look. "Raus.....Raus!!!":rolleyes:

[saturn5]

Check on spacwweather.com and the next time the KP index is at 4 or above,take a jaunt up to Thurso58.5 degN(20 miles from John o' Groats)If the skies are clear then you are guaranteed to see them.With a KP index at 6-7 then the display is virtually overhead and just like you would see up in Norway etc.

I'm waiting patiently for Autimn/winter to hopefully get some shots with my new 5DMKII.The displays are certainly getting more frequent recently although none have been overly spectacular but we are approaching solar maximum and if its anything like the last one then we should be in for a real treat,even those further south.

[LukeSkywatcher]

A couple of weeks ago i was checking an Irish holiday website which i have used for the last few yrs to book my 2 weeks in the sun. They are offereing a 7 night stay in Tromso (Norway) this winter (Nov-Dec 2010) aimed specifically at observing the Northern Lights.

7 nights stay in a hotel in Tromso+return flights and guided tours out to observe the lights costs 500 euro.

THAT to me is a bargain.

Pity i am in a wheelchair. I really dont know if the observing site they have is suitable for wheelchairs or if to get to it you have to walk through 6ft of snow to get to it.

I must check it out.