One of
the most captivating spectacles of nature is the Aurora Borealis. The Northern
Lights are remarkable ‘curtains’ of glowing light that dance across the night
sky in the North Circle. There are few sights with such ethereal beauty as the
dazzling, swirling interplay of vivid colours that have enthralled generations
of humans throughout history. But what are the Northern Lights, and how can
they best be enjoyed?
The
Northern Lights are also called the Aurora Borealis after the Roman dawn
goddess Aurora and the Greek north wind Boreas. The phenomenon is recorded as
far back as the 1st Century AD when the philosopher Seneca contemplated
on the nature of the Northern Lights. Since Seneca the Aurora Borealis has
fascinated countless generations, in Scandinavian mythology it’s suggested that
aerial figure like the Valkyries, Wild Hunt and Odin’s aerial processions were
inspired by the sight of Northern Lights.
However
fantastical it looks, the Aurora Borealis is rooted firmly in scientific fact.
Charged particles crossing the galaxy on solar winds collide with the Earth’s
magnetic field to create charged particles. Those charged particles generate an
electrical current that flows through gases in the upper atmosphere and
generates the characteristic green and blue light displays.
Northern
Lights don’t only occur in the north, the South Pole too see its own, identical
version called Aurora Australis. The Auroral Zone is typically between 10˚ and
20˚ from the magnetic poles, they only occur further south (or north in the
case of Aurora Australis) during particularly strong geomagnetic storms caused
by increased sun spots.
Scandinavian
nations, Russia and Canada are in the polar region and, have clear skies and
are best for spotting Auroras. Although it can occur as far south as Scotland,
the sightings are rarer and less dramatic. Scandinavian regions like Iceland
and Lapland are the best Aurora spotting destinations for tourists because
their ancient cultures have spent years beneath the Northern Lights and are the
most expert at taking tourists out to see the lights. The added bonus of Aurora
spotting in Scandinavia, is that the scenery is some of the most beautiful on
Earth, making Lapland a great place to visit anyway.
Lapland
Northern Lights spotting trips are available through Transun. Transun have
years of experience offering holidays across Scandinavia, and booking a package
couldn’t be simpler through the Transun website.
