Viewing Northern lights at Hotel Rangá

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Northern Lights, or also known as the aurora borealis, are a leading trademark at Hotel Rangá. The hotel is in a geographical region that has very favorable conditions for viewing the Northern Lights. Although there is never any guarantee of seeing this wonderful natural phenomena – the hotel is one of the best places in Iceland (and in the entire world !!) to see the aurora. The variables that influence the possibility of viewing the aurora include intangible parameters such as solar activity, the lunar phase & intensity and weather conditions (cloud cover, visibility & air temperature).

As Hotel Ranga lies in a secluded, countryside area without external lighting, and we control the outdoors lighting at the hotel ourselves, we can provide optimal conditions AT THE HOTEL to view the skies without light interference or pollution. This unique condition, with the addition of being able to sit in our naturally heated outdoor hot tubs, can make the viewing here a lifetime experience for those who visit us during September through April – months when viewing the aurora is possible. The hotel also lies in an area of South Iceland where clear skies are more usual than in the immediate vicinity – which is very good for auroral viewing.

The hotel also supplies some helpful, guiding information about Northern Lights for those that are interested in knowing more about the phenomena and what causes them (In addition, we also have a splendid photo gallery with pictures taken at the hotel or nearby the hotel, showing what fantastic images can be possible for hotel guests to experience under good viewing conditions. Remember to bring with you warm clothes - as the lights are almost only visible when the outside air is cold.

Solar activity, also known as sunspots, are what regulates the intensity of the solar wind which in turn creates the aurora borealis. The sun has an 11 year cycle - or "pulse" - which regulate the intensity of the sunspots/northern lights and thereby also their consistency. Scientists have been monitoring this for hundreds of years (see chart below) and also know when to expect increases in activity. As we now head into a period with very high sunspot activity - one could say we enter The Age of Aurora - which will start now in the autumn of 2009 and last into the spring of 2014. These coming 4,5 years should therefore bring about some fantastic displays of aurora. The next time this occurs again will be first around 2022 - so if you want to view this natures splendor in the forseeable future - now is the time to book a trip to the northern latitudes where this is viewable. 

AURORA PREDICTIONS JAN 2010

JANUARY
1 to 3	AVERAGE
5 to 8	AVERAGE
10 to 14	VERY GOOD
17 + 18	GOOD
20	AVERAGE
29 to 31	VERY GOOD??

 For more information about the northern lights - Click Here

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