The aurora's aura

The northern lights tint the glassy lake Jökulsárlón green as snow-white icebergs cut the surface. It's just another stunning scene in this part of the world, where winter wonders are abundant and crowds are scant. After all, Iceland is only home to 380,000 people, and more than a third live in Reykjavik. That means other parts of the country—especially Vatnajökull National Park, whose 5,779 square miles include Jökulsárlón—have virtually no light pollution, letting the aurora shine all the brighter.