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September 28, 2016

Reykjavík turns off its streets lights for the Northern Lights

Due to a great aurora forecast for the evening, Reykjavík City will have street lights turned off between 22:00 and 23:00 in selected areas so everyone can enjoy the Northern lights.
Due to a great aurora forecast for the evening, Reykjavík City will have street lights turned off between 22:00 and 23:00 in selected areas so everyone can enjoy the Northern lights.
 
The selected neighborhoods are Vesturbær, Miðborg, Hlíðar, Grafarvogur, Laugarás, Heima and Vogahverfi, Túnahverfi, Skólavörðuholt, Fellahverfi, Bergum and Hólum in Breiðholt, and Seljahverfi. The Northern Lights are expected to have a very active display in the sky tonight so expect a magnificent exhibition.  
 
Iceland is renowned for its otherworldly illuminations, the Northern Lights being one remarkable example. This particular phenomenon, also known as the Aurora Borealis, can be experienced in Iceland during the winter time, especially on those clear, crisp nights, where they appear in a variety of colours and intensity, either twirling gently in shades of milky green, or occasionally blazing in a wild and multi-coloured dance across the night sky.
 
The Northern Lights are generated in the upper atmosphere as it gets bombarded by electronically charged particles from the sun. They form what is known as ‘auroral belts’ around the geomagnetic poles and occur high above the Earth's surface, at altitudes between 100-250km, where the atmosphere is extremely thin.
 
If you plan on experiencing them for yourself, there are many tour operators located in the city with specialized trips offering a range of different experiences, from boat tours to coach trips. You can also visit Aurora Reykjavík – an information and exhibition centre dedicated to the Northern Lights.
 
 

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