Abisko vs Reykjavík for the northern lights
Reykjavík wins on the numbers: a viewing window on 28% of season nights against 16% for Abisko, peaking in January at 32%.
| Abisko | Reykjavík | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Sweden | Iceland |
| Solar activity needed (Kp threshold — lower is better) | 1.5 | 2 |
| Season length (months with dark skies) | 9 | 9 |
| Best month | March (26%) | January (32%) |
| Season-average viewing nights | 16% | 28% |
| Clear-night share across the season | 19% | 36% |
Month by month
Two different trips
Abisko — Statistically the clearest sky in the auroral zone
Abisko lies in the rain shadow of the Scandinavian mountains, in a microclimate famous for its "blue hole" of clear sky. Combined with a position under the auroral oval, it has one of the highest aurora success rates anywhere on Earth.
Reykjavík — Aurora over the land of fire and ice
Reykjavík sits just south of the auroral oval, so displays need a touch more geomagnetic activity than in Arctic Norway — but Iceland rewards you with volcanic foregrounds and easy self-drive escapes from city light.