Why the Northern Lights over Norway will become more intense in the coming years
Stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights are in for a treat as the natural phenomenon will be more intense over Norway in the next few years.
Several times already this year, strong solar activity has meant that the elusive Northern Lights have already blanketed themselves over much of Norway this year.
The good news for those hoping to catch a glimpse of the lights in Norway is that their presence will become much more intense in the coming year, according to experts.
The Northern Lights are triggered by strong geomagnetic activity. The northern parts of the Earth are divided into KP zones. The zones range from one to nine. For example, Tromsø, in the north, is in KP1 and Oslo, in the southeast, is in KP5. The stronger the geomagnetic activity, the higher the KP number, and the further south the lights can be seen.
Intense solar activity and solar winds contribute to the presence of the Northern Lights. In the coming years, there will be much more solar activity, meaning more intense Northern Lights activity.
"We have passed the minimum in the (solar) wave valley we have been in and are halfway to the maximum. It will be (for the years ahead) good years ahead," Pål Brekke from the Norwegian Space Centre told public broadcaster NRK.
Essentially, the sun has an activity cycle that lasts around 12 years. In the coming years, the sun will enter a stage of plenty of solar activity. This increases the frequency of solar storms and coronal holes (holes in the sun's atmosphere), leading to more intense appearances of the northern lights.
Be sure to check out our guide, here, on making the most of the Northern Lights.
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Several times already this year, strong solar activity has meant that the elusive Northern Lights have already blanketed themselves over much of Norway this year.
The good news for those hoping to catch a glimpse of the lights in Norway is that their presence will become much more intense in the coming year, according to experts.
The Northern Lights are triggered by strong geomagnetic activity. The northern parts of the Earth are divided into KP zones. The zones range from one to nine. For example, Tromsø, in the north, is in KP1 and Oslo, in the southeast, is in KP5. The stronger the geomagnetic activity, the higher the KP number, and the further south the lights can be seen.
Intense solar activity and solar winds contribute to the presence of the Northern Lights. In the coming years, there will be much more solar activity, meaning more intense Northern Lights activity.
"We have passed the minimum in the (solar) wave valley we have been in and are halfway to the maximum. It will be (for the years ahead) good years ahead," Pål Brekke from the Norwegian Space Centre told public broadcaster NRK.
Essentially, the sun has an activity cycle that lasts around 12 years. In the coming years, the sun will enter a stage of plenty of solar activity. This increases the frequency of solar storms and coronal holes (holes in the sun's atmosphere), leading to more intense appearances of the northern lights.
Be sure to check out our guide, here, on making the most of the Northern Lights.
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