If green, blue or purple waves appear out of nowhere in the night sky and continuously move like water in the sea, this can only mean one thing – the northern lights have begun. The spectacle is so impressive that over time a special category of tourists appeared – hunters of the polar miracle. Russia can boast of vast expanses located in close proximity to the North Pole, which means you can see the astronomical phenomenon without a passport. In this article we will tell you where to go for “sky dancing” in Russia.
Murmansk region
The closest area to Moscow suitable for observing the northern lights is the Murmansk region. The color of the aurora here is usually greenish. To increase your chances of seeing a celestial show, you should move away from large cities, which only illuminate the sky, and go, for example, to Teriberka, Vidyaevo, Polyarny, Pecheneg or another small village.
The Northern Lights are a difficult to predict phenomenon and depend on the magnetic activity of the Sun. In other words, you will have to wait and literally “catch” him, which means the trip will take a week or more. You can diversify your impressions with alpine skiing in the Khibiny Mountains or active recreation on the Kola Peninsula.
When to go: from late August to May
Naryan-Mar
The Northern Lights in polar Naryan-Mar are very beautiful, they consist of several shades and are accompanied by flickering, which turns the picture into a fairy tale. This natural phenomenon is usually observed during a sudden change in weather.
Waiting for the aurora, you can visit one of the camps of nomads who live in chums (huts covered with reindeer skins), try fried venison and ride a reindeer sleigh.
When to go: November to March
Arkhangelsk and Severodvinsk
Photo: Ivan Dementievsky, nat- geo.ru
In the Arkhangelsk region there is a general rule for observing the northern lights – the farther you are from large populated areas, the brighter the “dance of the sky” will be. Very often Severodvinsk is in the zone of the northern lights. This natural phenomenon is distinguished by a green tint and a specific shimmer. No one can say for sure how long the sky above your head will shine and shimmer. Sometimes the glow lasts 10 minutes, and sometimes several days.
When to go: from September to April
Taimyr Peninsula, Krasnoyarsk Territory
Taimyr is called the land of cold – the duration of winter here ranges from 235 days in the south to 285 days in the north of the peninsula. The climate is extremely harsh: from minus 40°C to minus 60°C. Taimyr is also known as the land of rare amazing northern lights.
When to go: September to March
Yakutia
The Yakut land is covered in ice and snow for seven to eight months a year. At the same time, its winter nights are accompanied by one of the most vibrant and colorful views of the Northern Lights. In the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere – Verkhoyansk and the village of Oymyakon – this astronomical phenomenon is not uncommon. For variety, you can ride deer, go fishing on the Indigirka River and visit the Vostochnaya weather station.
When to go: from October to April
Northern Lights Hunting Season
The brightest auroras occur from the autumn (September 22-23) to the spring equinox (March 20-21). But the probability of catching the lights is still higher in winter, from approximately November to February. Moreover, in high latitudes at this time the night lasts for 18-20 hours, and even weak auroras will be visible more clearly. The best time of day for observations is from 10 pm to 3 am.
To watch for the northern lights, you need to monitor the forecasts of the so-called space weather. After a solar flare, the likelihood of seeing the northern lights in the coming days increases threefold. The most accurate predictions can be found on the website of our Russian Space Research Institute.
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