See the Northern Lights in Iceland

**  Northern Lights in Iceland

 Went to the Reykjanes Peninsula in Dec 1987; found Iceland a great place to visit and enjoy.

What are the best months or the best time of year to see the Northern Lights in Iceland?

The Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis appear, on a regular basis, in Iceland from the middle of August through to the middle of April. 
Any time outside these months, the Northern Lights do not appear, as the nights are short and daylight dominates the sky.

 During the fall and winter months, the Aurora Borealis can appear almost everywhere in the country if the strength or the Aurora level is right and the skies are clear. Therefore, you need to visit Iceland, during autumn or winter, to see the Northern Lights. Autumn and winter are the best seasons for seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland.

NORTHERN LIGHTS QUICK GUIDE

• Visit Iceland between September – April, avoiding a full moon.

• Wait for total darkness to fall with clear skies.

• Location scout for nearby viewing places away from light pollution.

• Set up aurora strength KP index alerts.

• Be ready to aurora hunt at a moments notice!

• Kleifarvatn lake is a popular destination and attraction

  Kleifarvatn is the largest lake on the Reykjanes Peninsula. It is situated on the fissure zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge a short distance from the dramatic geothermal area of Seltún. The lake is incredibly deep, 97 meters (318 feet) at its deepest point. But, its unique feature is that it has no visible surface drainage, which means there are no rivers running to or from it. Thus, the water level only changes with the groundwater. Following an earthquake in the year 2000, a fissure formed at the bottom of the lake that soon began to drain. It diminished by 20 percent. Gradually though, the fissure refilled, and the lake has returned to its previous levels.
  Today, the Kleifarvatn area is gradually becoming a popular destination for hikers, joggers and bird watchers. Surrounding the lake is a comfortable trail where you can enjoy the dramatic and ever-changing landscape. The lake itself attracts the local anglers who like to fish for trout in the tranquil, colorful area. Kleifarvatn lake and the area around the lake is also a great place to view the Northern Lights.
• Often, the time between 21:00 {9:00 p.m]. and 23:30 {11:30 p.m}. is the best and most interesting. If the conditions are right, you are almost certain to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights or even better, you will get to see a spectacular show in the sky within that period. If you have time and if you are traveling to Iceland only to see the Northern Lights, it is usually a good idea to hang out and see if the show continues until 3:00 a.m. So, if the forecast is right and you don’t see the Northern Lights in the evening, it is quite likely that you will not see them after midnight.
• I enjoyed my time in Iceland and would recommend the trip to anyone! The country is clean, 80% Christian and has a very low crime rate  - with intelligence and healthy people who seem to care! Transportation is mainly by private auto {I had a rental car} with some bus routes available, the hotels are clean, simple and quite  - not rambunctious as many in the western world today! Go if you can!
• PS: Iceland is really a Greenland - while Greenland is actually an Iceland!