¡Ayuda, hay luna llena! ¿Arruinará mi experiencia con las auroras?
Imagine this: you’ve arrived beneath the auroral oval, solar activity is increasing, and the forecast looks promising — only to discover the sky is dominated by a bright full moon. Many travelers panic at this point. Will the moon wash out the Northern Lights?
The short, science-based answer: no.
The full moon does not affect aurora activity itself. What it can affect is human perception of faint displays — and even that depends on aurora strength, sky conditions, and experience.
At Aurora Reykjavík, we’ve observed and photographed thousands of aurora displays across all lunar phases. In this guide, we explain exactly when the moon matters, when it doesn’t, and why full-moon nights can actually create some of the most memorable aurora experiences in Iceland.
Written by Katarina Raker, Northern Lights expert and co-founder of Aurora Reykjavík
Luna llena en el Parque Nacional Thingvellir, Islandia
¿Afecta la luna llena a las Auroras Boreales?
The moon has no physical effect on the Northern Lights.
Aurora borealis occurs when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This process is driven by solar wind and geomagnetic activity, not lunar phases.
A full moon only increases ambient light in the sky. This can make very faint auroras harder to notice, especially for inexperienced observers — similar to how moonlight reduces the visibility of dim stars.
Luna Llena – Todo depende de la intensidad de la Aurora
Dicho esto, como bien sabe cualquier amante de las estrellas, una luna llena proyecta mucha luz en el cielo. Y sí, para ojos no entrenados, hace que sea más difícil ver la aurora, al igual que la luz brillante de la luna puede ocultar estrellas débiles de nuestra vista.
Sin embargo, todo depende de la intensidad del espectáculo que estés presenciando. Una aurora débil podría quedar opacada por la luz brillante de la luna, pero si tienes un nivel de actividad solar moderado o alto, aún disfrutarás de una buena vista de las auroras boreales. Al contrario de lo que podrías haber oído, es posible ver la aurora boreal, o luces del norte, cuando hay una luna brillante, incluso una luna llena, en el cielo.
Moonlight matters when:
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Aurora activity is weak (Kp 1–2)
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The display is low on the horizon
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The moon is very high up in the sky.
Moonlight does not matter when:
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Aurora activity is moderate to strong (Kp 3+)
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The aurora is overhead
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Skies are clear and dark away from city lights
Luna llena en las tierras altas, Islandia
Aurora con Luna llena en los fiordos del este de Islandia
Por qué nos encanta la luna llena para perseguir auroras
From years of photographing auroras across Iceland, we’ve found that full-moon nights offer several unique advantages — especially for photography and overall experience.
Muchos podrían pensar en la luz de la luna como un obstáculo, pero para los fotógrafos y entusiastas de las auroras, aporta algunas ventajas únicas. Aquí te contamos por qué nos encantan las noches de luna llena para la caza de auroras boreales:
1. La luz de la luna realza el paisaje
La luna ilumina suavemente el primer plano, creando un ambiente mágico. Las montañas cubiertas de nieve, los campos de lava y los glaciares islandeses se ven aún más impresionantes bajo la luz de la luna.
2. Cielos bellamente coloreados
En lugar de un negro profundo, el cielo nocturno aparece en tonos azules intensos y ricos, creando un fondo impresionante para la aurora.
3. Mejores retratos con las auroras
La luz de la luna añade justo la cantidad de luz necesaria para iluminar suavemente a las personas en las fotos, evitando el efecto de silueta mientras mantiene la belleza natural de la aurora.
4. Velocidades de obturación más cortas
La luz de la luna permite tiempos de exposición más cortos, lo que facilita capturar imágenes nítidas de las personas y lapso de tiempo realistas que imitan el movimiento de la aurora en tiempo real.
5. Formas de auroras más nítidas
Las velocidades de obturación más cortas también capturan las formas y patrones intrincados de la aurora con mayor claridad.
6. Condiciones más seguras y agradables
Navegar por los paisajes islandeses en la oscuridad puede ser complicado. Con una luna llena, es más fácil ver tu entorno y evitar peligros potenciales como cuevas de lava ocultas o senderos helados.
In conclusion:
If your goal is to spot very faint auroras with the naked eye, darker nights may offer a slight advantage. However, strong auroral displays remain clearly visible even under a full moon.
For photographers, landscape lovers, and travelers seeking a visually rich experience, full-moon nights can be exceptional — offering illuminated terrain, safer navigation, and more dynamic compositions.
Why the Moon Phase Alone Doesn’t Tell the Full Story
1. Moonrise and Moonset Matter More Than the Moon Phase
When planning a Northern Lights hunt, it’s not enough to look at the moon phase alone. Moonrise and moonset times are far more important. In many cases, especially around a full moon, the moon may set before aurora prime time – leaving the sky completely moonless during the best viewing hours around magnetic midnight. That’s why experienced aurora chasers always check when the moon is actually above the horizon. Tools like timeanddate.com provide precise moonrise and moonset times for any location and date.
A night labeled as “full moon” on the calendar can, in practice, have zero moonlight impact on your aurora experience.
Dramatic full moon aurora at Dettifoss
2. Clouds Can Block the Moon While the Aurora Still Shines
Iceland’s weather adds another important variable: cloud cover.
It’s common to have partly cloudy skies, where low or mid-level clouds obscure the moon in one part of the sky, while clear gaps in another directions allow the aurora to shine through. In this situations, moonlight may be completely diffused or blocked, while the aurora remains visible – sometimes even more dramatically as green arcs illuminate breaks in the clouds. This is one of the reasons why cloud forecasts and on-site decisions matter far more than the moon phase alone.
3. Full Moon Nights Create Extra Opportunities for Astrophotography
For astrophotographers, full-moon nights offer additional creative opportunities beyond the aurora itself.
Moonrise and moonset during a full moon can produce:
Dramatic low-angle moonlight over mountains and glaciers
Golden or pastel tones near the horizon
Unique compositions combining the aurora with lunar-lit landscapes
When times correctly, photographers can capture both aurora activity and moonrise or moonset at the same session, adding depth and storytelling in their images.
Aurora con luna llena en Kerlingarfjöll, Islandia
Conclusion: Should You Avoid Full Moon Nights?
Expert takeaway:
A full moon does not ruin Northern Lights viewing. What truly matters is:
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Aurora strength
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Cobertura de nubes
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Light pollution
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Whether the moon is actually above the horizon
Si tu objetivo principal es ver las auroras boreales con tus propios ojos, evitar las noches iluminadas por la luna podría mejorar la visibilidad de las auroras débiles. Sin embargo, si buscas fotos impresionantes de auroras o deseas una experiencia mágica en general, las noches de luna llena ofrecen oportunidades únicas.
Pro tip: Track the aurora forecast and cloud cover on reliable apps, like the ones mentioned in our guide to Northern Lights apps, to plan your chase effectively.
Captura la Aurora con nosotros
En Aurora Reykjavík, sabemos cómo sacar el máximo provecho de cada fase lunar. Ya sea una noche iluminada por la luna o una sin luna, nuestros guías expertos te ayudarán a cazar la aurora bajo las mejores condiciones. Además, nuestro equipo de fotógrafos se asegurará de que te lleves a casa fotos impresionantes.
Echa un vistazo a nuestra selección cuidadosamente elegida de tours de auroras boreales y deja que te llevemos a una aventura inolvidable. Recuerda, la magia de la aurora no se desvanece bajo la luna llena—brilla de nuevas maneras.
Aurora con luna llena en el Parque Nacional Thingvellir
Explora más en Aurora Reykjavík
- Visita nuestro Centro de Auroras Boreales para aprender todo sobre la aurora.
- Descubre los mejores consejos de fotografía de auroras boreales para tu próxima aventura.
- Descubre los mejores meses para ver la aurora boreal en nuestra guía.
Join us on a Northern Lights Tour
Así que, si puedes, compra el billete, sube al viaje. Encontrarás nuestra selección de tours aquí:
Katarina Raker
About the Author: Katarina Raker
Katarina Raker is a passionate Northern Lights expert and award-winning photographer based in Iceland. With years of experience chasing the aurora across the Arctic, she combines her love for storytelling with a deep knowledge of the science behind the Northern Lights. As a team member at Aurora Reykjavík, Katarina is dedicated to helping travelers experience the magic of the aurora borealis through expert tips, guided tours, and stunning photography. When she’s not capturing the sky’s most dazzling displays, Katarina enjoys exploring Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes and sharing her adventures with the world.
FAQ about the Northern Lights
¿Cuándo puedo ver las Auroras Boreales en Islandia?
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 aquí.
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 aquí.
Can I see the northern lights when it is cloudy?
Well, that depends. First of all, Islandia is well-known for its clima impredecible: 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 y check the forecast regularly for the most reliable prediction.
Do the northern lights only appear when it is cold?
El 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 aquí.
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 Islandia 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.