Iceland is set to see an increase in Northern Lights activity this winter, especially in the capital region, Reykjavik. Icelandic scientists have predicted that this strong activity will continue throughout the winter months, displaying the brightest Aurora levels for 50 years.
This increased Aurora activity is caused by the Solar Maximum – a period when the sun’s magnetic field on the solar equator rotates at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles.
Solar wind from the sun interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere and causes energy in the form of visible light to be emitted.
Every 11 to 12 years, the Solar Maximum peaks; the previous pinnacle occurred in 2000. NASA scientists have predicted that the next one in 2012 will be the greatest since 1958.