Experience the magic of the Aurora Borealis in Rovaniemi.
Witness The Northern Lights in Rovaniemi from August Until April
Also known as Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights are visible on around 150 nights a year in Finnish Lapland. In Rovaniemi, the spellbinding astral show can be witnessed in and around the city from mid-August until early April.
How Can I See the Northern Lights in Rovaniemi?
Catching the magical phenomenon requires clear and dark skies and a viewing spot not affected by light pollution, like street lights and neon signs. In Rovaniemi, you don’t have to walk far from the city centre to find a good spot, and really strong Auroras can be seen even with interference from artificial light.
Please note: there are no sure-fire ways of predicting when the Auroras will appear, only approximate predictions.
Where Can I See The Northern Lights in Rovaniemi?
There are quite a few good places for viewing the Auroras near the city centre. The Arctic Garden behind the Arktikum museum is a popular spot a 10-minute walk away, and the top of Ounasvaara fell is another good choice a 45-minute walk away. Any location with no light pollution and an unrestricted view of the northern sky works – the darker, the better.
When Is A Good Time to See the Auroras? Get Notified!
The Northern Lights commonly appear between 10 PM and 2 AM, but can at times be seen as soon as 7 PM. A show might last from only a couple of minutes to several hours.
To skip waiting outside in the cold for the Auroras to appear, we’ve got the perfect solution for you in the form of an instant notification service that works in the Rovaniemi area: Aurora Alert Realtime and Northern Lights Alert let you know as soon as the Auroras are visible.
Take A Guided Tour for In-Depth Information
For a more thorough Aurora experience, we warmly recommend joining one of the numerous Northern Lights tours in Rovaniemi. Aurora hunts are available on snowmobiles, husky sleds, snowshoes, and in reindeer sleighs, just to name a few ways to experience the dancing arcs in the sky.
Expert guides maximize your chances of seeing the Auroras by taking you to special viewing spots while explaining the science and myths behind the phenomenon.
Aurora Legend: "Fox Fire"
According to Sámi folklore, the Auroras are caused by a fox running over the fells of Lapland, whipping up snow with its tail and sending sparks up the northern sky. The sparks form a colourful arc of fire that lights up the dark landscape. The Finnish name for the Northern Lights, “revontulet”, meaning “fox fire”, derives from this myth.
Science Says
In scientific terms, the Northern Lights are caused by electrically charged particles from the sun colliding with each other upon entering the earth’s atmosphere, which results in emissions of various colours of light. Green is by far the most common, but red, pink, violet, yellow and even blue can be seen at times.
An Expert's Tip
Rovaniemi local Alexander Kuznetsov is a Northern Lights hunter and photographer who spends his winter nights outside, watching the skies and shooting material for his company, Aurora Hunting.
– The top of Ounasvaara fell is one of my favourite spots for capturing the Auroras. Head a couple of hundred meters east of the Sky Hotel to the Tottorakka lift station, where you might even bump into me and my cameras, he says.
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