Northern lights in Húsavík tonight

Húsavík sits on the western shore of Skjálfandi Bay, a broad north-facing bay that opens directly toward the Arctic Ocean. The shoreline north of the harbour gives a dark horizon over the bay with the distant Tjörnes headland to the east. The small-boat harbour and the wooden church are useful foreground elements. Walk 5-10 minutes north of the town centre to lose the streetlights.

The elevated headland on the east side of Skjálfandi Bay, about 20 minutes' drive from Húsavík. The Tjörnes cliffs rise to around 100 m above sea level with open views north over the bay and west toward Húsavík. Almost no artificial light once away from the peninsula road. The elevated position means you are above any coastal mist and can see low aurora on the northern horizon clearly.

Route 85 south-east from Húsavík toward the Jökulsárgljúfur canyon system passes through completely dark terrain within 30 minutes of leaving the town. Ásbyrgi canyon itself - a horseshoe-shaped glacial canyon - gives a remarkable dark-sky foreground. The canyon walls amplify any aurora reflection from overhead. This route gives some of north Iceland's most dramatic aurora landscape combinations.