The Aurora Borealis
This world has many wonders for us to see, but one of the most impressive spectacles is the Northern Lights.
When we are faced with the exuberance of nature, no matter how amazed we are, everything we see has a concrete “explanation” that we can understand with our senses, since we can walk, swim, touch and experience these places.
I have seen many wonderful places, both man-made and natural, but the magic surrounding the Northern Lights has something special.
After having the privilege of witnessing this phenomenon, we are left with a feeling of pure admiration, perplexity and the sensation of having witnessed something that can be called “divine”.
Although we have logical explanations for this phenomenon, when we witness the beauty of this event, none of this matters in the slightest.
But of course, we need scientific and practical information to have the chance to be amazed by this spectacle of nature.
What is the Northern Lights.
The aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights, is a natural spectacle that occurs in regions close to the Arctic Circle.
The phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the Sun interact with the Earth’s magnetic field (with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere), generating lights that dance across the sky.
This phenomenon also occurs in the southern hemisphere, where it is called the aurora australis.
How are the colors of the aurora borealis formed?
The most common colors are green, pink, and purple, but shades of red and blue also appear, depending on the gases in the atmosphere and the altitude at which the interaction occurs.
Each gas, when excited by these solar particles, emits light at different wavelengths, which results in the distinct colors we see in the sky.
Oxygen:
At higher altitudes (above 200 km), oxygen emits a reddish light.
At lower altitudes (about 100 km), oxygen produces shades of green, which is the most common color.
Nitrogen:
When excited, nitrogen emits purple or blue light.
On some occasions, a pinkish tone may appear at the lower edges of the aurora.
Factors that Influence Colors:
Type of Gas: As mentioned, oxygen and nitrogen are mainly responsible for the colors.
Altitude: The interaction at different altitudes results in distinct colors.
Solar Particle Energy: Particles with more energy can penetrate deeper into the atmosphere, influencing the color.
This combination of science and beauty makes the aurora borealis a fascinating and always unique phenomenon.
The colors vary depending on the location and atmospheric conditions, making each display unique and special.
Why does it occur at the poles?
The Earth’s magnetic field protects us from the harmful effects of solar winds.
As a result, the vast majority of solar winds are repelled by the magnetic field.
However, the field is much weaker at the poles and when the solar winds are stronger, part of it reaches the atmosphere.
What are the best places to see the Northern Lights?
The best places to see the Northern Lights include countries such as Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Canada and parts of Alaska. It is best to visit during the winter, between September and March, when the nights are longer and darker.
Away from the city lights, the chances of a good show increase.
What are the conditions for seeing the Northern Lights?
1 – Being within the Arctic Circle, where the probability is much higher.
2 – Being in the darkest possible place, although in some cases it can be seen even within some cities.
3 – The sky is clear, that is, without clouds.
4 – Being very lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
The secret to enjoying this show is patience, persistence and a lot of luck.
Of course, with a little science, knowledge and planning we can reduce the need for luck.
The aurora is unpredictable, depending on solar activity and weather conditions.
Using monitoring apps, such as Aurora Forecast and others, can help with planning.
Watching the aurora borealis is a magical experience. Imagine being under a dark sky and suddenly seeing curtains of light undulating, as if they were alive.
The earliest official mention of the lights was in 2600 BC in China, but Galileo was the first to call them the Aurora Borealis in 1619 AD.
However, it wasn’t until the early 1900s that Norwegian scientist Kristian Bireland theorized that these lights were caused by electron collisions.
I had already tried to see the aurora borealis in 2019, in Canada at White Horse, but I wasn’t lucky. Check out my trip to do dog sled training.
So this time I decided to maximize my chances by going to Norway and Finland.
Tools for monitoring the Northern Lights and weather conditions.
Aurora forecast apps.
I used My aurora forecast & Alerts, Hello aurora and Aurora search.
City light pollution.
I used the Light pollution map website.
Weather forecast, with details of winds and clouds.
The Ventusky website has a lot of information on weather, winds and clouds, among others.
Rovaniemi
The first stop inside the Arctic Circle was the city of Rovaniemi in Finland.
Rovaniemi, located in Lapland, Finland, is known as the official city of Santa Claus.
The main attraction is Santa Claus Village, where you can meet Santa himself, send letters from the official post office and cross the Arctic Circle, marked by a symbolic line.
Rovaniemi is also perfect for exploring the Arctic nature.
Try husky safaris, reindeer sleigh rides or snowmobile adventures.
And of course, at night, there is a chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
We went hunting and after about 3 hours of trying, we ended up at a frozen lake.
At first, we didn’t see anything, but after about 10 minutes some green lights started to appear in the sky, and it was quite a spectacle.
The emotion of seeing the aurora for the first time is indescribable, a mixture of euphoria, joy, an objective achieved and a lot of perplexity when seeing the dance of lights and colors.
Tromso - Northern Lights Capital of the World
Tromsø is considered the capital of the Northern Lights, a fascinating destination for nature and adventure lovers. The city is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, mainly due to its infrastructure and location.
Surrounded by mountains and fjords, Tromsø offers activities such as kayaking, hiking and husky safaris.
In winter, the polar darkness is magical, while summer brings the midnight sun.
I witnessed the last sunset on November 26th, and it will only rise again from January 15th.
The city is also rich in culture, with the Polar Museum and the iconic Arctic Cathedral. Tromsø is a perfect balance between adventure and urban charm!
Hunting the Northern Lights
We prepared for the aurora hunt, but the first two days it was snowing heavily and the chances were very low.
On the third day, the chances weren’t good, but we decided to go hunting anyway.
On the first attempt, we managed to see for about 10 minutes, but then the weather turned bad, and it started to snow.
However, it gave us the courage to continue. After about 2 hours without success, we stopped at one of the possible spots, but there was nothing.
It was very windy and cold, about minus 10 degrees, but we decided to stay. We had a snack and when we got out of the car, there it was again.
The wind, about 100 km per hour and the cold, made it very difficult, but we were happy with what we were seeing.
We managed to see for about 15 minutes, but soon the weather turned bad, and it started to snow heavily.
The way back was very intense, with so much snow and wind that it was impossible to see much more than a few meters away.
We were only able to relax and enjoy what we saw when we got home safely.
It was the worst snowstorm we’ve ever had.
Kirkenes: The Jewel of the Far North
I never knew this city existed, but when I was researching the aurora I found a cruise through the Norwegian fjords that starts in Bergen and goes to Kirkenes.
Since the city is on the same latitude as Tromso and is very remote, it is a good place to see the northern lights.
And the place to start the cruise back to Bergen.
Kirkenes, in the far north, 10 km from the border with Russia, is a charming little town full of surprises.
Known as the “end of the road” because of its remote location, it is famous for the SNOWHOTEL (ice hotel), where everything, even the furniture, is sculpted from ice and snow.
Kirkenes is very small and any 5-minute drive will take you out of the city.
We chose some places on the map and went hunting.
As soon as we parked the car we came face to face with the aurora.
Now we know that it was the second best northern lights. The show lasted more than half an hour.
Cruise through the fjords of Norway.
The trip from Kirkenes to Bergen takes 6 days, passing through all the fjords in Norway.
It is a spectacular trip with great opportunities to see the Northern Lights, as the boat will be far from the city.
Although we were unlucky enough to experience very bad weather on our trip, we cannot complain.
Our boat arrived at the port of Kirkenes after 4 days of cancellations due to bad weather.
There were waves of over 6 meters in the open sea, which made it impossible for the boat to reach Kirkenes.
Fortunately, we boarded, but the first night was quite horrible, as the boat rocked a lot for about 4 hours, when it was sailing outside the fjord.
However, on the second night, in addition to being calm, the aurora alert was activated and we were able to witness the largest and most spectacular aurora borealis of the entire trip.
It was a spectacle that lasted more than 30 minutes, completely covering the sky with its dance of lights and colors.
Simply unforgettable.
