In a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), and the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced the Sun has officially reached its solar maximum period.

The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of the solar cycle, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip — on Earth, that’d be like the North and South Poles swapping places every decade — and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy.

Images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory highlight the appearance of the Sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) versus solar maximum (right, May 2024). These images are in the 171 wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light, which reveals the active regions on the Sun that are more common during solar maximum.

Credit: NASA/SDO/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. But, the most important thing Solar activity impacts is the Northern Lights!

Visible light images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory highlight the appearance of the Sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) versus solar maximum (right, August 2024). During solar minimum, the Sun is often spotless. Sunspots are associated with solar activity, and are used to track solar cycle progress.

Credit: NASA/SDO/ NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

What does this mean for you and your chances of seeing the aurora borealis?

Well, it’s quite simple, if you want to see the northern lights, these next 12 months or this upcoming aurora season is your best chance of seeing these magical dancing lights above your head that have inspired humans for millennia. The number of sunspots on the surface of the sun are at their highest since 2014, geomagnetic storms are becoming much more frequent. If you want to see the aurora like in the viral videos on social media, now is the time.

With holidays all over Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway there are so many amazing opportunities for you to join us and search for the Northern Lights!

Follow the link here to discover our holidays and find the perfect itinerary for you.

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