From Iceland — Patience Pays Off, When It Comes To The Aurora

Patience Pays Off, When It Comes To The Aurora

Published September 29, 2016

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Art Bicnick

The Northern Lights abide the wishes of no one, but patience yielded quite a light show for those willing to wait it out.

As reported, the City of Reykjavík turned off the streetlights across the city for two hours last night (originally scheduled for 22:00 to 23:00, this was later extended to midnight) in order to give people a better look at the Northern Lights, which have been particularly active in recent days. An especially high level of aurora activity was predicted for last night, and many Reykjavík residents and visitors alike ventured out to try their luck.

RÚV reports that the reactions to the Northern Lights (or the lack thereof) underscores the importance of patience when it comes to catching a glimpse of them.


“All the lights are off and no Northern Lights. Isn’t that typical of the city council majority and these clowns in City Hall?”


“There are more Northern Lights at the South Pole than there are here right now.”


“These Northern Lights are quite welcome to their own party.”

Despite these initial misgivings, as always, patience is key when it comes to the Northern Lights. Aurora activity began to pick up shortly after 23:00, reaching its peak after 2:00 this morning.

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