It’s been a lifelong dream to go and chase the aurora, and this year looked like the best chance to do it.

It is the peak of 11 year solar cycle, which should yeild many nice northern lights. Ok, now where should one go to get the best chance on seeing them?

Most people would say northern Canada, Alaska, or even Norway and Sweden. All near the arctic circle. There is one more place though which many people do not even think about. That place is Iceland!

After doing a lot of research and planning, and a great airfare price, Iceland it is! Traveling during the week of the new moon I felt it was my best chance to see some aurora action.

Without turning this blog into a travelog of my trip, here is what I managed to image during the less than 4 hours of partly clear skies in Iceland. Yes, the weather was not cooperating at all having to fight white out conditions with gale force winds, to calm clear skies within a half an hour. Iceland is not the observers dream island, but if you perservere, you will be rewarded many times over. So here is what I managed to get.

All in all, a great trip to Iceland. Saw many sights around the southern part of the island, met many nice people, and some other aurora chasers like myself.

The year is still young, maybe enough time for one for aurora chase……