Best month to see the northern lights in Longyearbyen

Month-by-month viewing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds in Longyearbyen: darkness and activity. You need real darkness — so the bright midnight-sun months are out no matter how strong the aurora is. On top of that, geomagnetic storms run statistically stronger around the spring and autumn equinoxes (the Russell–McPherron effect), which is why November and December and January and February tend to edge out the dead of winter. Longyearbyen's season runs late september to mid-march (incl. daytime polar-night aurora).

Longyearbyen on Svalbard is the world's northernmost town and the only place you can see the aurora in the middle of the "day" — the polar night from mid-November to late January is so dark that the lights appear at noon. It sits poleward of the usual oval, so it actually favours quieter solar conditions.

Where to stand in Longyearbyen

Step just outside town toward Adventdalen valley; in deep polar night the whole day is dark. Guided trips carry rifles for polar-bear safety — don't wander far alone.

Tours & stays to book