The solar eclipse is happening tomorrow and if you are lucky enough to be enjoying a Northern Lights holiday then chance's are good that you are ideally located to see a 100% eclipse.
(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - March 19th, 2015 - March 20th 2015 will see a full eclipse of the sun and if you are on any northern lights holidays in the Arctic you stand the best chances of witnessing a full 100% solar eclipse. Not only that but as we are still in the solar maximum period, defined by huge energy being given off by the sun, it is highly probable that you will be able to then go on and witness a spectacular viewing of the northern lights on the same day!
There are tomes of scientific calculations as to how far apart a total eclipse occurs at the same location on the planet but it is in the region of every 400 years! So this is not just a once in a lifetime but once in 5 lifetime event.
While the single best location is forecast to be off the Norwegian Coast there are a number of wonderful northern lights holiday destinations where unless you have a precision measuring device the sun will disappear from view at around 8am on the 20th March.
Our top three locations would be:
Abisko – Sweden – Arguably the finest northern lights viewing location on earth and recently nominated by Lonely Planet magazine in this, the UN year of Light, as the place to go to see the aurora borealis. Take a ride up to the Aurora Sky Station and witness the eclipse with panoramic views over one of the last great wilderness areas in Europe
The Blue Lagoon Iceland – Although it is winter the warming geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, Iceland’s preeminent tourist attraction would make a novel place to view the eclipse from. In the evening you could venture down to Hotel Ranga in South Iceland which has one of the highest incidence of seeing the show on northern lights holidays.
Lofoten Islands Norway – To get a 100% full eclipse you would probably need to be on a boat out in the Atlantic but if you are happy with a 98% eclipse then there are fewer more striking places for northern lights holidays. Soaring peaks burst out of the ocean and the landscape is peppered with beautiful coastline (and sandy beaches!) and quaint fishing villages. This is where the concept of the northern lights holiday became mainstream when Joanna Lumley chose the Lofoten islands to film the aurora borealis travel programme in 2008 which started the craze.
When thinking about travelling to see the eclipse and the northern lights there are a number of things to consider. Key considerations are not only where to go and how to get there but also what to do to make your northern lights holiday and eclipse break memorable. Weekend a la Carte’s Aurora nights are specialists in northern lights holidays and have operated in Scandinavia and Iceland for over 10 years
###
