Scandinavia Travel Expert, about.com
The Creation of the Aurora Borealis:
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The Northern Lights
(also called Aurora Borealis) stem from when large numbers of electrons
stream in towards the Earth along its magnetic field and collide with
air particles. The air then lights up rather like what happens in a
fluorescent light tube. The resulting colors of the Northern Lights
reflect gases we find up there. The charged particles originate from
the sun, and the weather conditions on the sun decide whether or not we
will see the aurora.
The Best Time to See the Aurora Borealis:
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associate the Aurora Borealis with dark winter nights, although this
natural phenomenon happens all the time (it's just harder to see in
lighter conditions). Best are September through April, 11 pm - 2 am. The further south in Scandinavia you go, the shorter the Aurora Borealis season will be.
The
aurora can be viewed best during early evening and at night when it's
not overcast. Beautiful photos of the Aurora Borealis are available in
the Aurora Borealis Photo Gallery.
During other times of the year!
Where to See the Aurora Borealis:
To see this phenomenon, visit the auroral zone (or any location beyond the Arctic Circle)
where the Northern Lights occur. Tourists' favorite viewing locations
are the coasts of the Norwegian counties of Tromso and Finnmark -
especially the North Cape (Nordkapp)!
The Northern Lights can be viewed from other northern locations
as well, but the northern half of Norway and Sweden, as well as all of
Iceland are famous for having "the best seats" for viewing the Aurora
Borealis.
How Often You Can See the Aurora Borealis:
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This depends on your location. In Norway's city of Tromso (Tromsø) and at the North Cape (Nordkapp),
you can see the Northern Lights every other clear night, if not even
more frequently. The same goes for locations further north.
Towards the south (e.g. central/south Sweden), it is harder to see the Aurora Borealis, and it may only occur 2-3 times a month.
How to Take Pictures of the Aurora Borealis:
You may already have the photography equipment you need. Now, find out how to photograph the Northern Lights yourself!
The Scientific Explanation of Aurora Borealis:
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Aurora
Borealis forms at around 60 miles high (around 100 km) which makes the
lights visible hundreds of kilometers away. The cause for this
phenomenon is electrons hitting air particles, causing them to light up.
Additional Information:
When you see the Northern Lights
(Aurora Borealis) for the first time, you will be amazed at the lit-up
skies. Scientifically, this phenomena is referred to as "polar aurora"
and "aurora polaris". More commonly in northern regions
is the name Aurora Borealis. Particularly in Scandinavia, the Aurora
Borealis often appears as a reddish glow on the northern horizon...like a
dark sunrise in the middle of the night.
The Aurora Borealis - or Northern Lights - are part of the Top 3 Scandinavian Natural Phenomena.
