One of the things you didn’t know is that it is possible to see the Aurora Borealis in Estonia (Eestimaa Virmalised). Although it is impossible to predict when there will be one, in this article I will give you some tips on where and when to see it to increase your chances.
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When the Northern Lights will be in Estonia?
The Northern Lights are predicted hours in advance. This means that you have to be actively aware of when one is going to occur. There are platforms that notify you when there is a chance of one. That is:
Virmalised.ee: Virmalised (Estonian for ‘northern lights’) has all the data you need to predict when there might be one. So much, that sometimes it gets overwhelming. The good thing is that they have an email notification system where they let you know when there is a high chance of seeing one from their monitoring stations. If the email they send you shows Tartu as ‘high’ or ‘very high’, it is very likely that you can see one from almost anywhere in northern Estonia.
Kairo Kiitsak’s Facebook page: Kairo Kiitsak is an Estonian meteorologist well known here for his work on weather and meteorology. When there is a high chance of aurora borealis, he usually writes a post.
Facebook groups Eestimaa virmalised and Virmalistekütid: In these groups people talk about the northern lights in Estonia. When there is one, people upload the photos they take, serving as a bit of a confirmation of Virmalised and Kairo Kiitsak’ s predictions. Often these photos are uploaded when there are still auroras, so if you see them, go and see them.
In experience, the northern lights in Estonia occur mostly between January and March sometime between 10 pm and 1 am. In order to see them well, the night has to be more or less clear of clouds.
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Where to see the Aurora Borealis in Estonia?
If you want to see the Northern Lights in the best possible conditions, it is best to go to an area with low light pollution. Or, to put it another way, you need to get away from Estonia’ s big cities, especially Tallinn, and go to the northern coast of the country.
Rest of Estonia
There are two places that are particularly good:
Lahemaa National Park (Lahemaa rahvuspark): This is Estonia’s largest national park and offers vast natural areas, making it a good place for northern lights viewing.
The northern part of the island of Hiumaa: This part of the island is very unpopulated, but has quite a few nature observation sites. The best place to see the Northern Lights there is Cape Tahkuna, which is the northernmost point of the island and is located next to the Tahkuna Nature Reserve.
In Tallinn
It may also be that, when you receive the Virmalised.ee notification, you are in Tallinn and have no time or way to leave the city. Although the conditions are not ideal, this does not mean that you cannot enjoy the northern lights.
There are three places in Tallinn where light pollution makes it possible to see the Northern Lights:
Paljasaare Peninsula: This peninsula lies northwest of Tallinn and offers an environment relatively less affected by light pollution from the city. From here, you might have an unobstructed view of the northern horizon, increasing your chances of spotting the Northern Lights.
Pirita Beach: Pirita Beach, located east of Tallinn, can also offer an opportunity to see northern lights. Although light pollution is still a factor, being close to the water and away from city lights can improve the chances of viewing.
Naissaar and Aegna Islands: These two islands are off the coast of Tallinn and offer more natural surroundings less affected by light pollution. They are the best option, but it is unlikely that ferries will still be available when you receive notification from Virmalised.
In conclusion, to see an aurora borealis in Tallinn and Estonia you have to have some luck with the sky and pollution. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance to improve our chances: follow those who know about it and go to the best possible places, and sooner or later you will see one.
