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THE “MIDNIGHT SUN” MYTH: CAN YOU SEE THE AURORA IN ICELAND IN THE SUMMER?

What is the midnight sun

Are the northern lights visible in the summer

Aurora Reykjavík – where the northern lights are always on display

What Is the midnight sun in Iceland?

Can You See the Northern Lights During the Midnight Sun?

The Aurora Never Stops – Only Our Ability to See It

Experiencing the Northern Lights at Aurora Reykjavík in Summer

A Guaranteed Aurora Experience During the Midnight Sun

Final Thoughts: Midnight Sun and Northern Lights – Two Sides of Iceland

 

Iceland is a country defined by extremes of light and darkness. In winter, long nights create perfect conditions for Northern Lights viewing. In summer, the season of the midnight sun, the landscape is bathed in near-constant daylight. This dramatic shift leads many visitors to ask the same question every year: Can you see the Northern Lights in Iceland during summer?

The short answer is no – but the full story is more interesting. Understanding why the aurora isn’t visible during the midnight sun, and how you can still experience it in summer, requires a closer look at both science and storytelling.

What Is the Midnight Sun in Iceland?

Das midnight sun occurs in Iceland from late May through early August, when the sun remains above the horizon for most or all day. Even at “night,” the sky never becomes truly dark – instead, it stays bright with a soft twilight glow.

This phenomenon is a result of Iceland’s high latitude, just south of the Arctic Circle. While it creates unforgettable summer experiences for travellers, it also has a direct impact on aurora visibility.

Gullfoss summer

Summer colours at Gullfoss waterfall, in the Golden Circle

Highlands

Summer in the Icelandic Highlands

Reykjanes

Summer highlight: join an evening hike to the latest eruption sites  

Can You See the Northern Lights During the Midnight Sun?

Despite a persistent myth, you cannot see the Aurora Borealis in Iceland during the midnight sun period.

Auroras are caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This process happens year-round – including in summer. However, auroras are relatively faint light phenomena and require dark skies to be visible from the ground.

During the midnight sun:

  • The sky never becomes dark enough
  • Aurora light is completely washed out by daylight
  • Even strong solar activity will not produce a visible display

This is why the Northern Lights season in Iceland runs from late August to mid-April, when darkness returns.

For a deeper dive into seasonal visibility, explore: Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Iceland

The Aurora Never Stops – Only Our Ability to See It

An important distinction often gets lost: the aurora does not disappear in summer. The same solar processes continue high above Earth’s atmosphere. What changes is our ability to observe it.

It is similar to what happens with stars in the daytime sky – they are still there, but invisible due to sunlight. The midnight sun creates the same effect for the aurora.

However, summer visitors can engage with the Northern Lights, even if outdoor viewing is impossible.

eclipse

No stars in the summer, but get ready for the August 12th, 2026 total eclipse

World's first northern lights VR experience -exclusively at Aurora Reykjavík

Aurora Reykjavík – Iceland’s First and Only Northern Lights Center

Experiencing the Northern Lights at Aurora Reykjavík in Summer

For travellers visiting Iceland during the midnight sun, Aurora Reykjavík – The Northern Lights Center offers the most complete aurora experience available outside the winter season.

Located in Reykjavík’s Grandi harbour area, the museum is designed to bridge the gap between science, nature, and human experience – making the Northern Lights accessible year-round.

Immersive Aurora Films and Visual Displays

At the heart of Aurora Reykjavík is a high-definition cinema experience featuring aurora footage from across Iceland, professionally captured by our team of experts and award-winning photographers. This 30-minute film showcases a wide range of auroral forms, colours, and intensities (from subtle arcs to full-sky storms), exactly as they appear under dark winter skies.

For visitors experiencing the midnight sun, this is often the first time they see what the aurora truly looks like in motion.

Northern Lights cinema

Get comfy and enjoy the northern lights…no matter the season!

Aurora Reykjavík Science

Learn about the northern lights in an interactive environment

Interactive Exhibits: Science, History, and Myth

The museum’s interactive displays explain:

  • How auroras form
  • Why Iceland is one of the best places on Earth to see them
  • The way solar activity, magnetic storms, and Earth’s atmosphere interact
  • How Northern Lights have been interpreted in Icelandic folklore and global cultures

This context is especially valuable for summer visitors planning a future winter trip, as it builds realistic expectations about visibility and conditions.

More background reading about the phenomenon is available here.

Virtual Reality: Standing Beneath the Aurora

Aurora Reykjavík also offers a virtual reality experience that places visitors beneath active Northern Lights displays using real footage filmed across Iceland. The experience is world’s first VR entirely dedicated to the Aurora. Feel the scale, motion, and atmosphere of standing under a dark winter sky, as you observe the northern lights as they move overhead.

Aurora Reykjavík VR

World’s first northern lights VR experience

For those visiting during the midnight sun, this provides a rare and realistic sense of what seeing the Northern Lights in nature actually feels like – something not possible outdoors at that time of year.

Aurora Reykjavík photography

Our experts will set up your camera for the Aurora hunt

Northern Lights Photography and Simulation

Aurora Reykjavík also focuses on photography education. Visitors can explore:

 

  • A Northern Lights photo simulator
  • Camera settings used by professional aurora photographers
  • Common mistakes beginners make when photographing auroras

This makes the museum particularly useful for travellers returning in winter or those interested in astrophotography.

Related reading: Can You See the Northern Lights with the Naked Eye?

A Guaranteed Aurora Experience During the Midnight Sun

Unlike outdoor aurora tours, which depend on darkness, weather, and solar activity, Aurora Reykjavík offers a guaranteed experience. There is no waiting for clouds to clear and no concern about the time of year.

 

For summer visitors, it provides:

  • A meaningful connection to one of Iceland’s most iconic natural phenomena
  • Clear explanations of why auroras cannot be seen during the midnight sun
  • A deeper appreciation for the contrast between Iceland’s seasons of light and darkness

Further Reading: Northern Lights Planning and Myths

If you want to explore related topics, these articles provide useful context:

 

Aurora Reykjavík photography

Northern Lights glowing over Skógafoss,
on the South Coast

Final Thoughts: Midnight Sun and Northern Lights – Two Sides of Iceland

Das midnight sun and the Aurora Borealis represent opposite ends of Iceland’s natural light cycle. While they never appear together in the sky, each tells an important part of the same story.

If you visit Iceland in summer, the aurora may remain invisible outdoors – but it is far from absent. At Aurora Reykjavík, the Northern Lights are brought into focus through science, imagery, and experience, offering insight and inspiration long before darkness returns.

JOIN US ON ICELAND'S BEST NORTHERN LIGHTS TOUR

So, if you can – buy the ticket, get the ride. You will find our hand-picked selection of tours here:
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Northern Lights Superjeep Tour from Reykjavik with free Pickup
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Gratis: Museums-Eintritt ins Nordlichtmusem

NORTHERN LIGHTS AND SOUTH SHORE Combo Tour with Reykjavik Sightseeing and AURORA REYKJAVIK
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Nordlicht-Tour und Südküste

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Small Group Northern Lights Photography tour with free pickup in Reykjavik
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FAQ ABOUT THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

When can I see northern lights in Iceland ?
The northern lights season in Iceland begins in late August and continues through mid/late April.
During this long period, Iceland experiences sufficient darkness for the Aurora to be visible at night.
However, chances of experiencing the northern lights vary depending on the time of year. Find out which months are the best for seeing the Aurora here.
Can you see the Northern Lights during a full moon?
Yes. Strong auroras remain clearly visible even during a full moon.
What time do the northern lights show up?
Northern lights are statistically often seen between 9:00pm and 1:00am, but they may appear at any time as long as it is dark (and the sky clear). During the winter months, when the hours of light are limited, the northern lights can often appear as early at 7:00pm. As the exact time of an Aurora display cannot be predicted, keep your eyes at the sky. And remember, patience is key!    
How long do the northern lights last?
Auroras can last any time between few minutes and hours. Each northern lights display is different, and varies in duration. Furthermore, the northern lights are not always visible for the entire duration of a single Auroral episode: they often change in intensity throughout a single display, and can go from very bright to incredibly faint, to the point they are hardly visible at all any more. Learn more about how the northern lights behave duration-wise here.
Can I see the northern lights when it is cloudy?
Well, that depends. First of all, Iceland is well-known for its unpredictable weather: the fact that it is cloudy now does not mean that the sky will still be cloudy 5 minutes from now. As long as we can find some gaps in the cloud cover, some windows of clear sky – there’s hope. And, even when it’s cloudy, keep in mind that not all clouds are the same. For example, high clouds are often see-through and do not necessarily disrupt our view. Rule of thumb: if you can see the stars, you can potentially see the northern lights too. Once again, keep your eyes at the sky und check the forecast regularly for the most reliable prediction.
Do the northern lights only appear when it is cold?
Das northern lights season in Iceland starts in late summer. As you can imagine, this means that you don’t need cold temperatures to see an Aurora (although you should not expect t-shirt weather at night in Iceland, not even in August). The northern lights happen way above the weather systems, and are not influenced by weather systems and temperature fluctuations in the lower atmosphere. Find out more here.
Are the northern lights visible all over Iceland?
Iceland is located within the so called “aurora belt“, the area where the northern lights are typically seen. In the Arctic region, the belt extends between 60°N and 70°N latitude. As Iceland in its entirety is included between 63°N and 67°N, and therefore well within the aurora belt, chances of seeing the northern lights are virtually the same everywhere around the island – if weather allows. That said, the likelihood of witnessing the northern lights is higher away from the city lights, and some areas around the country are especially scenic. Here are our favourite locations for northern lights spotting in Iceland.
Are the northern lights really colourful?
     
Is a new moon better for aurora viewing?
It can help with faint auroras, but solar activity and cloud cover matter far more.    
Is the full moon good for aurora photography?
Yes — it often improves landscapes, foregrounds, and image sharpness.