Northern lights
The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon occurring particularly in Arctic regions. This phenomenon is caused when electrically charged solar particles, high in energy, enter the Earth’s atmosphere. This usually occurs in an area around the Arctic Circle (67º N), and less so as you travel south. You cannot see the phenomenon when it is cloudy.
The colors are particularly beautiful during winter nights. The lights are usually yellow-green, but can also be green or reddish-violet. The magnificent colours light up the sky and usually form a bow from east to west or a slightly more even belt of color. These formations can spring up at any moment, filling the sky at an incredible speed. The lowest point of the Northern Lights is usually around 62 miles above the ground. Størmer and Birkeland are Norway’s greatest researchers into the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights Observatory in Tromsø was built in 1928 with money from the Rockefeller Foundation. The Tromsø Museum houses a modern Northern Lights exhibition.
To experience the Northern Lights, join us on one of our winter Voyages.