AuroraCast / Best month / Sodankylä

Best month to see the northern lights in Sodankylä

Planning a trip to Sodankylä, Finland for the aurora? Here's the month-by-month guide. The best months are September, October, February, March. Looking for tonight's odds instead? →

Month-by-month viewing quality

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
MonthViewingWhy
January Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
February Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
March Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
April Good Plenty of darkness; solid odds
May Marginal Short nights at the season edge
June No — midnight sun Midnight sun — no real darkness
July No — midnight sun Midnight sun — no real darkness
August Good Plenty of darkness; solid odds
September Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
October Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
November Peak Long dark nights + peak activity
December Peak Long dark nights + peak activity

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds in Sodankylä: darkness and activity. You need real darkness — so the bright midnight-sun months are out no matter how strong the aurora is. On top of that, geomagnetic storms run statistically stronger around the spring and autumn equinoxes (the Russell–McPherron effect), which is why September and October and February and March tend to edge out the dead of winter. Sodankylä's season runs september to early april.

Sodankylä hosts a geophysical observatory that has measured the aurora and Earth's magnetic field for over a century — fittingly clear, dark and quiet.

Where to stand in Sodankylä

Anywhere outside the small village; the observatory area and the Kitinen riverbanks are reliably dark.

Tours & stays to book

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Northern lights tours from Sodankylä

Viator · guided tours · from $75

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Aurora chases & photo tours in Sodankylä

GetYourGuide · guided tours · from $75

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Cabins, lodges & glass igloos near Sodankylä

Booking.com · lodging

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This guide is built from each month’s dark-hours and the long-run seasonal pattern of aurora activity — it tells you when the odds are best, not what any single night will do. Aurora viewing is never guaranteed. Our method & sources.