Northern lights in Tromsø
Norway. Darkness calculated 24 October 2026 with Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 (MIT licence).
Norway’s largest city above the Arctic Circle, with a busy airport and many tour operators. The sky here is dark enough for the aurora from September to March.
Month by month
Pick a month for dark-hour times, Moon dates and what to expect.
Hours of darkness, month by month
| Month | Dark hours | Aurora possible? |
|---|---|---|
| January | 14.8 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| February | 11.7 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| March | 7.7 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| April | none | No: too light |
| May | none | No: too light |
| June | none | No: too light |
| July | none | No: too light |
| August | none | No: too light |
| September | 5.4 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| October | 10.3 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| November | 13.9 h | Yes, if active and clear |
| December | 15.8 h | Yes, if active and clear |
The darkest weeks ahead
New Moons in the dark season. The week around each one has the least moonlight.
- 9 November 2026
- 9 December 2026
- 7 January 2027
- 6 February 2027
- 8 March 2027
- 30 September 2027
On the ground
On the coast the weather changes quickly. Tours often drive inland to look for gaps in the cloud, so a guided night can help even if you have a car.
Whatever the month, check two forecasts on the day: the aurora forecast from NOAA and the cloud forecast for where you are. How to read the aurora forecast.
Full checklist for choosing a tour.
Other places: Abisko, Rovaniemi, Reykjavík, Fairbanks, Yellowknife, Inverness. Compare all seven.
Sources
- Darkness and Moon phases: our calculation, Astronomy Engine 2.1.19 (MIT licence). How we worked it out.
- NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, Tips on viewing the aurora.