![Northern lights over Hotel Rangá observatory, Friday October 26, 2018.](https://auroraforecast.is/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DSC7894-web.jpg)
Without a doubt, it is best to enjoy the northern lights on a dark, moonless night. The bright light of the full (or almost full) Moon definitely has an effect on the visibility of the northern lights – although not by much.
Case in point. The featured picture and the one below were taken from Hotel Rangá in south Iceland, only a couple of days after October’s full Hunter’s Moon.
![](http://auroraforecast.is/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DSC7896-web-300x200.jpg)
That night, the auroras were quite bright and the almost full Moon proved no match. So, the Moon mostly affects dim auroras but does not have much effect on a strong aurora display.
Full Moon can even be photographers friend, illuminating the landscape to make for an even prettier aurora image.