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Rule Dark Skies

Dark Skies Forecast for Norwegian Fjords

Northern Norway, Norway

Astrophotography in Northern Norway. Find dark clear windows over Uttakleiv, Skagsanden, Senja, and the mountain horizons of Lofoten.

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Europe/Oslo

No opportunities in the next 14 days

See the blocker timeline below to understand which conditions are preventing matches.

Astrophotography in Northern Norway. Find dark clear windows over Uttakleiv, Skagsanden, Senja, and the mountain horizons of Lofoten.

This rule looks for true astronomical night, cloud cover no higher than 20%, visibility of at least 12 km, precipitation probability no higher than 10%, and either Moon illumination no higher than 35% or Moon altitude no higher than 10°. It does not calculate Galactic Centre or Milky Way core altitude; check a sky planner for the subject's position.

Lofoten and Senja pair dark maritime skies with unusually strong mountain and beach foregrounds. Skagsanden's black sand and Uttakleiv's rounded rocks face broad sky, while quieter sections of Senja reduce settlement glow. Clear air after a front can be excellent, but salt spray, wind, and fast-moving cloud often limit long exposures.

True astronomical darkness is absent around midsummer and returns from late summer through spring. Moonlight can usefully reveal snow-covered peaks but wash out faint stars; aurora may become the dominant sky subject. Use the forecast for darkness and transparency, then check tide and wave conditions separately before setting a tripod near the water.

Location status

0 of 13 locations currently active

Tromso

Inactive

Tromsø occupies Tromsøya between broad sounds, with the Arctic Cathedral and bridge forming recognisable city-scale foregrounds across the water. West of the island, Kvaløya’s steeper peaks and fjords replace urban light with open coastal horizons.

Tromsø, Troms, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (34%, ≤ 20.0%)

View forecast

Lofoten

Inactive

Granite peaks rise directly from narrow sounds, beaches, and fishing harbours across Lofoten, with red rorbuer adding scale and colour.

Leknes, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (86%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Reine

Inactive

Reine’s clustered rorbuer and sheltered harbour sit beneath sharply rising granite peaks, creating compressed layers of cabins, water, and rock.

Reine, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (80%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Hamnoy

Inactive

Red rorbuer stand over Hamnøy’s tidal water beneath Festhelltinden, a compact arrangement especially graphic with snow on the dark rock.

Hamnøya, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (67%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Uttakleiv

Inactive

Uttakleiv pairs a curved beach with rounded boulders, tidal pools, and steep coastal mountains, useful for surf patterns and aurora reflections.

Leknes, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (100%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Skagsanden

Inactive

Skagsanden’s dark sand, braided tidal channels, and mountain walls create reflective foreground lines beneath changing Atlantic cloud.

Ramberg, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (62%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Svolvaer

Inactive

Svolvær’s working harbour is enclosed by steep peaks and islands, combining fishing boats, waterfront lights, and the distinctive Svolværgeita spire.

Svolvær, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (53%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Senja

Inactive

Senja’s outer coast compresses serrated mountains, narrow fjords, and pale beaches into abrupt sea-to-summit compositions. Landmarks such as Segla’s blade-like profile and the Bergsbotn inlet distinguish the island from Northern Norway’s more urban fjord bases.

Finnsnes, Troms, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (63%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Alta

Inactive

Alta lies beside a broad fjord and low birch-covered hills, with the frozen Alta River and nearby plateau providing open winter foregrounds.

Alta, Finnmark, Norway

Right now: Astronomical Night: Outside time window

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Narvik

Inactive

Narvik sits at the head of Ofotfjord beneath steep mountains; Narvikfjellet looks across branching water, islands, and snow-lined ridges.

Narvik, Nordland, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (22%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Nordkapp

Inactive

Nordkapp’s sheer slate plateau ends above the Barents Sea, offering a spare horizon, exposed cliff geometry, and rapidly moving coastal cloud.

North Cape, Finnmark, Norway

Right now: Astronomical Night: Outside time window

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Hammerfest

Inactive

Hammerfest’s harbour and colourful buildings occupy a rocky island coast, backed by treeless slopes with wide views over Sørøysundet.

Hammerfest, Finnmark, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (91%, ≤ 20.0%)

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Kirkenes

Inactive

Kirkenes combines low Arctic birch, rocky Barents-region shoreline, and the broad ice-prone waters of Bøkfjorden near Norway’s eastern frontier.

Kirkenes, Finnmark, Norway

Right now: Total Cloud Coverage too high (100%, ≤ 20.0%)

View forecast

What's blocking opportunities

95-hour view of conditions preventing matches across 13 locations

Top 5 blocking conditions across 13 of 13 locations
Some blocked
Most blocked
25 Sat
26 Sun
27 Mon
28 Tue
29 Wed
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
06
12
18
24
Astronomical Night (Any)
99% blocked
Moon Illumination (≤ 35.0%)
99% blocked
Total Cloud Coverage (≤ 20.0%)
87% blocked
Precipitation Chance (≤ 10.0%)
76% blocked
Visibility (≥ 12000.0m)
8% blocked
How to read: Each row shows when a condition blocks opportunities. Stronger red means more locations are affected. These are the top 5 conditions preventing matches across the 95-hour forecast.

How this forecast is made

Opportunities are threshold-based signals: PhotoWeather checks whether forecast conditions match the rules for a photography scenario. They are planning guidance, not guarantees. Forecasts can change as new model runs arrive, and confidence generally decreases farther into the forecast horizon, so recheck conditions before travelling.

The weather forecast foundation comes through Open-Meteo , which aggregates models from weather agencies. PhotoWeather applies condition-specific thresholds and derived calculations; not every condition uses every model or data input.

Forecast generated

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