{"id":11950,"date":"2023-10-31T13:17:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T12:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tourradar.com\/days-to-come\/?p=11950"},"modified":"2023-11-10T17:49:06","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T16:49:06","slug":"northern-lights-vs-southern-lights-which-celestial-show-is-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tourradar.com\/days-to-come\/northern-lights-vs-southern-lights-which-celestial-show-is-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern Lights vs. Northern Lights: What’s the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019ve read about the majestic northern lights in books or watched them dance across the night sky in movie scenes, chances are you\u2019ve caught wind of this incredible natural phenomenon also known as aurora borealis. After all, the northern lights have captivated mankind since ancient times, even playing a role in Norse mythology and Inuit legends.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As amazing as the northern lights may be (and believe us, they are) this aurora isn\u2019t the only celestial light display to stoke the imagination. The Southern Hemisphere boasts its own spectacular blaze of glory called the southern lights or aurora australis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In weighing southern lights vs. northern lights, which is better, aurora borealis or aurora australis? <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our travel guide explains everything you need to know, from southern lights and northern lights differences to the most compelling corners of the earth to witness, or even chase, these elusive, unpredictable auroras in real life. Some vantage points are a world away, while others may be closer to your own backyard.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9 Bj\u00f8rn Are With Andreassen\/Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

Is it easier to see the northern lights or the southern lights?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n

One of the key differences between aurora borealis and aurora australis centers around where each rarity takes place. Northern lights streak across the heavens in remote destinations close to the North Pole, especially those near the Arctic Circle<\/a>, and far away from cities (where light pollution occludes visibility). Aurora borealis has earned more of a reputation because the light dance is more visible from these expansive prime areas, including Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and the Scandinavian countries<\/a> of Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden<\/a>, and Norway, which tops the list.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While southern lights are as good as northern lights, aurora australis occurs in less-accessible places near the South Pole, including Antarctica<\/a> and Down Under in Australia, Tasmania, an island state of Australia, south of the mainland, and New Zealand. Though fantastic, viewing conditions aren\u2019t as ideal, and given the capriciousness of auroras, it may be more of a gamble than the northern lights.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u00a9 Ken Phung\/Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n

What causes aurora borealis and aurora australis?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

Though rare, auroras are natural interactions that occur when electrically charged solar particles crash into atoms of oxygen and nitrogen from the Earth\u2019s atmosphere. As they travel along the magnetic field between the North Pole and the South Pole, the particles wind up trapped in the Earth\u2019s atmosphere, and when the gasses release energy, voila! The night sky is illuminated by shimmering auroras near the poles, around  60-620 miles (97-1,000 kilometers) above Earth\u2019s surface. The stronger the solar wind, the more intense the auroras.<\/p>\n\n\n

Northern lights vs. southern lights colors<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

The fascinating tableau you see also depends on the gasses released into the night sky. Oxygen emits a red or greenish-yellow light. The higher the altitude (about 300 km or 186 mi) the more likely pinks and reds will appear. Nitrogen flashes blue and purple, a less common color story, at different altitudes. The spectral spectacle of southern lights and northern lights may last for mere minutes or several days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to embrace the magic and the mystery of the otherworldly aurora borealis and aurora australis? Here are some of the best places to experience southern lights and northern lights’ brightest colors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

Best places to see the northern lights vs southern lights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

Northern lights <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n