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About This Quiz
Back in the sixth century BC, Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II carved a sequence of characters into a stone tablet to note an unusual occurrence in the sky. The tablet was lost for centuries, and when it was discovered, it took decades to decipher. Once deciphered, an entry on the tablet noted that on the "night of the 29th, red glow flared up in west." Researchers today consider it the first recorded sighting of the northern lights. It was written in 567 BC and it happened in the Middle East.
The northern lights are known for glowing over the northernmost parts of the northern hemisphere, but history has shown the auroras can be seen almost anywhere. The colorful flares are a result of solar and magnetic activity, and the stronger the force, the farther away they can be seen. The Solar Storm of 1859 was the greatest on record and the northern lights could be seen as far south as Cuba. On top of that, there are references of sightings all over the planet dating all the way back to the Bible. And on top of that, the planet also has the southern lights, which are the same thing except in the southern hemisphere.
Wherever you are, you have a chance of seeing supernatural auroras light up the night sky, but some places offer better viewing than others. Can you name these countries where you can see the northern lights?
Michigan
Alaska
Alaska is one of the world's best places to see the northern lights, and they're visible between September and April. Peak viewing season in Alaska is in March, and the farther north you travel, the better the view.
Maine
Minnesota
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Greenland
Greenland edges out Canada, Alaska, Russia and Norway as the northernmost point in the world. Getting to the northernmost point of Greenland is a lot easier said than done. There are no roads or trains between many towns in Greenland.
Iceland
Antarctica
Faroe Islands
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Maine
Washington
Minnesota
Washington state and Maine appear to be the country's northernmost states, but a sliver of Minnesota actually creeps into Canada's territory, making it the northernmost U.S. state of the lower 48. The state is one of the best places in the lower 48 to the Aurora Borealis.
Michigan
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Sweden
Scandinavia is one the top places you want to visit when hunting the northern lights. You can see the spectacle in northern Sweden starting in September. The lights are usually visible all day in the northern part of the country, but the most vibrant displays happen after 10 p.m.
Switzerland
Estonia
Finland
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Belgium
Switzerland
Every decade or so, the world sees an unusually high level of geomagnetic energy. The Aurora Borealis can be seen as far south as Texas during these years, but it all depends on clarity on the night's sky. Switzerland is about as far south in Europe you can expect to see the lights on a normal year.
Hungary
Spain
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Idaho
Idaho produces more potatoes than any other U.S. state, and its northern border is one of the country's most northernmost. If you're hunting the northern lights in the lower 48 states, Idaho is one of your best bets.
Montana
Maine
Minnesota
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Greenland
Canada
No country is farther north on Earth than Canada. Greenland edges it out by a bit, but Greenland isn't a country. There are dozens of specific locations all over the country where clear viewing of the northern lights is common.
Russia
Denmark
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Aland Islands
Sweden
Iceland
Legend has it Iceland got its name because the person who discovered it discovered it on a day it was snowing. Iceland isn't covered in ice. It's about 1/20th the size of Greenland, but it's home to more than five times the amount of people.
Faroe Islands
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New Zealand
South Africa
Australia
With all the climate change and unbelievable things happening on Earth, it's not impossible for the northern lights to glow all the way to the southern hemisphere, but if you do see lights glowing over Australia, they're probably the southern lights, aka Aurora Australis.
Indonesia
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Montana
Maine
Washington
Washington sits in the heart of the Pacific Northwest and is one of America's northernmost states. Whether the lower 48 can see the northern lights depends on geomagnetic activity, but Washington is one of the places you want to be if you're trying to see them.
North Dakota
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Canada
China
Russia
Japan
This Japanese legend has been around for centuries and believers all over the world swear by it. Some Japanese couples in Canada even flock as far north as possible to experience a night under the northern lights.
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Denmark
Finland
Sweden
Norway
Norse mythology says the northern lights are reflections from Valkyrie shields. The Valkyrie are female warriors in Norse mythology who have the power to choose who shall live and who shall die in battle. The country has dozens of viewing spots.
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Finland
Scandinavia consists of Sweden, Norway and Finland and they are the three most northern countries in Europe. The sun never rises during winter in northern Finland. Southern Finland only sees six hours of daylight during the same period.
Estonia
Denmark
Switzerland
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Australia
Canada
America
Russia
Canada and Greenland are the only two places on Earth that extend farther north than Russia. The northern lights can be seen in Russia from the end of summer to the beginning of spring, but the middle of winter is the best time to catch a glimpse.
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Scotland
The northernmost part of Scotland is the island archipelago of Shetland. "Mirrie Dancers" is the local slang for the northern lights that can be seen from the area. The lights can be seen anywhere in Scotland depending on the sky's clarity.
Ireland
United Kingdom
Spain
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Michigan
Florida
Texas
California
California extends into the northern half of the country and is the country's most populous state. It's rare to see the northern lights in the state, but every once in a while they can be seen as far south as the Bay Area.
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United Kingdom
Wales
Scotland
Ireland
Ireland is known as the Emerald Isle and the northern lights can be seen all over the country depending on strength and clarity. The best places to see the lights are the northernmost parts of the country.
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Denmark
Americans unaware Greenland was part of Denmark were educated when the president publicly stated he wanted to buy the country and Danish leaders publicly stated the island wasn't for sale. Denmark is just under Scandinavia and is one of Europe's better places to see the northern lights.
Belgium
Germany
Finland
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Chile
South Africa
Australia
New Zealand
It's not known whether the northern lights ever glowed bright enough to be seen over New Zealand, but the country is one of the best places for viewing the southern lights. The lights are best seen during winter, which is between March and September in New Zealand.
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Latvia
Estonia
Europe's Baltic area may span several countries, but Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are commonly recognized as the three Baltic states. Estonia is the farthest north and offers the best views of the northern lights.
Lithuania
Ukraine
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Michigan
Montana
Montana is known as Big Sky Country and it's one of the best states in the lower 48 to view the northern lights. To see the northern lights, you want the darkest, clearest night possible, and Montana's sparsely populated land is a perfect place to find a dark and clear sky.
Maine
North Dakota
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Netherlands
The Aurora Borealis can be seen in The Netherlands for a few days a year and your best bet on viewing them is traveling as far north in the country as possible. A big city like Amsterdam isn't a great place to try and see the lights.
Germany
Austria
France
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Germany
Germany is one of the most populous European countries and is home to some of the continent's largest cities, so in terms of pollution and sky clarity, it's not the best place for viewing the northern lights. Strong flares glow over the country every few years.
Russia
Czech Republic
Hungary
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Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are part of Denmark and they sit just southeast of Iceland. They're not Europe's best place to view the lights, but you can definitely see them on a clear night. The lights can be seen between November and February.
Greenland
Iceland
Wales
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Wales
Italy
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is separate from Ireland politically. It's bordered by Ireland, but despite its name, Ireland actually extends farther north than Northern Ireland. You want to travel as far north as possible to see the lights.
Scotland
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Japan
South Korea
China
Parts of China extend north into Russia and the northern lights can be seen in the country. Seeing the lights in China is rather rare, but when they're seen, locals believe the lights represent good and evil dragons fighting in the sky.
Mongolia
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Austria
Hungary
Don't expect to go hunting for the northern lights in Hungary every year, but the lights can be seen whenever there is strong geomagnetic energy. The Aurora Borealis glows strongly enough to glow over Hungary about once a decade.
France
Spain
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South Africa
Argentina
It's very unlikely you'll ever see the Aurora Borealis in Argentina, but the country is one of the best places on Earth to see the Aurora Australis. The southern lights are just as majestic as the northern lights but can only be seen in the southern hemisphere.
Chile
Brazil
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Belarus
Belarus extends farther north than Lithuania and borders Latvia. You can see the northern lights in the northern part of the country during strong solar flares, but it's a rare occurrence when people do get to see the lights.
Moldova
Ukraine
Russia
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Belgium
Belgium is mostly known for its gourmet food and drink, but the Aurora Borealis can be seen during strong geomagnetic storms in the northern part of the country. The country sits just underneath the Netherlands.
Sweden
Finland
Estonia
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Singapore
Reports of the southern lights being seen over Singapore were recorded in September during the solar storm of 1909 and reports of the lights over Samoa were recorded during the solar storm of 1921. Singapore is about eight degrees south of the equator and Samoa is 14 degrees south.
Argentina
Chile
Egypt
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Greece
Cuba
The planet experienced its strongest recorded solar storm in history in 1859, and the Aurora Borealis could be seen as far south as Cuba. Sightings were even recorded in Honolulu, Hawaii, which is about 20 degrees north of the equator.
Spain
Italy
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Belgium
Poland
Poland is just about as far north as Lithuania and Germany and it offers lucky views of the northern lights. Strong solar storms flare up every decade or so, and those are the best years to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis in the northern parts of Poland.
Germany
Hungary
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Argentina
Chile
Antarctica
If you happen to book a trip to Antarctica, you might as well try to see the southern lights. The best time to catch a glimpse in Antarctica would be between March and September, which is the winter season down there.
Australia
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Texas
Hawaii
Hawaii is the southernmost U.S. state. About 100 years before it officially joined the union, the planet experienced the strongest recorded geomagnetic storm in history. The Aurora Borealis could be seen as far south as Hawaii.
Florida
Ohio
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You Got:
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