A to Z of Must-Do Travel Experiences – N for ‘Northern Lights’
{ Tags: Aurora, Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights, Polar Lights \ Jun17 }
The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis is a natural light show which occurs around the polar regions, centred around the magnetic pole. The simplest explanation behind the northern lights is that the displays are caused by solar particles entering the earth’s atmosphere emitting burning gases, which create the light. Depending on how scientifically inclined you are, detailed explanations can be found online.
The Aurora Borealis can occur in different colours with green being the most common. Other colours include pink, red, yellow and most rarely blue. The varying colours correspond to the different types of gases. Places where you can catch this unique phenomenon include the Scandinavian countries, Alaska, Canada and Russia, in areas without artificial light interferences and with clear skies.
While this unique occurrence can happen at any time between September and March, your best bet is in late autumn and early spring. There is an 11-year solar cycle, which affects the intensity of the display, and 2012 is expected to be the next peak for solar activity. Lights occur most frequently between 8 pm and 4am, so you must be prepared for the waiting game.