Normally, walking through Reykjavik on a weeknight means peering around at neon signs advertising drink specials or watching people return home to brightly painted wooden houses, ready to wash away the work day in front of the TV. But last night, the city and several surrounding suburbs dimmed their lights for a full hour as the bright-green Northern Lights lit up the sky. For a moment, instead of thinking about where to go for the next Einstok beer or what to watch on Netflix, faces turned upward to take in one of nature's most spectacular phenomenons.
As the world's northernmost national capital, Reykjavik knows a thing or five about the Northern Lights. But for one night, Iceland took its love of the the green flashes to a new level when local officials decided to shut off streetlights in the city's most populated neighborhoods so locals and visitors alike could have an even more spectacular view of the Aurora Borealis overhead. Lamps were dimmed from 10 to 11 p.m., and residents were also encouraged to turn off their home's lights to "reduce light pollution."
While the Northern Lights are always breathtaking, 2016 is shaping up to a be a great year for people chasing them—a recent solar storm has increased the lights' presence and activity, The Telegraph reports. But this week's display has been so magical that even locals have been captivated, both in Reykjavik and around the country. Iceland-based photographer Adam Skrzeszewski captured this image last night:
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And Icelandic airline Wow Air also marveled at the night sky. The airline shared a Facebook video of the Northern Lights as seen over the wing of one of their planes en route to Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport. Even though the plane didn't turn off its interior lights, it looks like passengers still got one heck of a show—although it probably had some people on the flight wishing they'd booked window seats.
If your fall travel plans don't include Iceland this year, don't let the FOMO overtake you. There are plenty of ways to experience the Northern Lights throughout Scandinavia. An increasingly popular option is taking a Northern Lights cruise. Norway-based company Hurtigruten is so positive you'll spot the green lights while on one of its cruises that, if you don't, it will give you a free trip back the following winter.
