Month guide · Out of season up north
Can you see the northern lights in May?
Largely too bright up north as the midnight sun approaches.
The northern lights in May
By May the Arctic sky no longer gets properly dark — the midnight sun is close, and even strong activity goes unseen at high latitudes. Only the southern fringe of the aurora belt keeps any real darkness early in the month. For the classic northern destinations the season is effectively over until late summer.
What about the southern lights?
Autumn into winter in the south — a genuinely good time for aurora australis from Tasmania and the far south of New Zealand and South America. The aurora is the same phenomenon in both hemispheres — see where the aurora reaches for the full north-and-south picture.
Plan the trip
Tours, stays and wheels
Some links below are paid affiliate links. If you book a tour, reserve a stay or buy gear through them, we may earn a commission — it never costs you anything extra and helps keep the forecast free.
- GetYourGuide
Aurora chasing tours
Guided minibus & boat tours worldwide that drive you to the clearest, darkest skies on the night.
from ~€65 pp
See tonight's tours - Hotellook
Glass igloos & aurora cabins
Heated glass-roof rooms across Lapland, Iceland and the Arctic — watch the lights from bed.
from ~€180 / night
Find stays - Discover Cars
Rent a car to chase clear skies
Self-drive away from town glow to the dark-sky spots. Compare every local supplier in one place.
from ~€40 / day
Compare cars - SafetyWing
Cover the trip
Aurora trips are remote, cold and weather-dependent — travel medical cover from a few dollars a day.
from ~$1.50 / day
Get covered