Monday, 20th April 2020. An aurora is a natural light display in the sky, usually of greenish color but sometimes red or blue. The northern lights occur within a geographic area referred to as the aurora zone.It encompasses latitudes between 60 and 75 degrees and takes in Iceland, northern parts of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, Canada and Alaska as well as southern Greenland. Ozone is a gas * made of oxygen atoms. This 2008 image, taken in Antarctica, capture's Earth's atmosphere in a St. Paddy's Day mood. The closer to the North Pole the better. Destination Specialist. The Northern Lights are spectacular displays of natural light, which occur predominantly above the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Based in the city of Tromso, however, we saw little of the wilderness that defines the polar regions. The Southern Lights, commonly known as the Aurora Australis, is one of the world’s greatest wonders. Caused by storms sent from the sun itself, seeing the Northern Lights is a transformative experience, a gift from the cosmos itself. A northern lights display above Reine in Norway's Lofoten islands. Northern Lights: 8 Dazzling Facts About Auroras. So, if you're at all curious about the aurora borealis, join me and let's dive into these fascinating northern lights facts! Our first trip to the Arctic Circle delivered more than we had hoped for: stunning Northern Lights, a close encounter with Arctic reindeer and a night-time husky hike replete with husky puppies. The best places to see the northern lights are in Northern Canada, Alaska, Iceland, Finland, Norway, or Sweden. The highest frequency is around 22:00-23:00 / 10-11pm. Its name means “opposite to the Arctic ” (the Arctic is the region around the North Pole ). Auroras—Heavenly Lights. They are known as Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights in the Arctic Circle, and Aurora Australis in the Antarctic Circle. Because of its unique geography and even more unique political status, Antarctica is bursting with incredible facts. The southern lights – or Aurora Australis –, on the other hand, are more difficult to reach. There’s the you before you saw the aurora borealis, and the you after. The Yukon Northern Lights are legendary and a good reason to visit the Yukon in winter. Share: Updated April 21, 2020. In the Northern Hemisphere, from Alaska to the Arctic, the lights are known as Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. Stunning Southern Lights images revealed by Antarctica chef. If you’re an avid space enthusiast, you’ve probably seen the northern lights at this point (or want to). Travellers come from across the globe to witness the spectacular natural light display in the high-altitude Antarctic region. Northern Lights activities You can only admire the aurora at night, of course - so here are our suggestions for things to do in the Arctic winter when not gazing skyward. Some lesser-known facts: they occur across other worlds in the solar system, including Venus and Mars. Tour operators are tapping a huge and ever increasing demand to visit the Earth's last great wilderness. The cosmic extravaganza appears in the forms of huge patches of light in the sky, clouds of light, streaming lights that can also be in the shape of arcs, rippling curtains of light or shooting rays. The Northern Lights are electrically charched particles from the Sun that collide with our atmosphere and interact with its gases, creating a natural phenomenon of different light colors. Read on to discover the best places and times to see the auroras and more information on the magical Northern Lights. Southern lights seen from space. The best viewing season in Iceland is from October through March (although I saw them clearly at the end of September). Of all the things to do in Canada, if seeing the Northern Lights is high up on your bucket list, the Yukon is a good place to go for a Northern Lights vacation. ... Quark Expeditions is uncompromisingly polar, specializing in expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic. In northern latitudes, the Northern Lights are known as the aurora borealis. It is rare to see the Northern Lights before 18. The aurora borealis – otherwise known as the northern lights – is a vivid demonstration of the Earth’s magnetic field interacting with charged particles from the sun. NASA. This natural phenomenon usually occurs in areas known as the 'auroral zone' near the poles of the Arctic in the north and Antarctic in the south. But less we digress, here are seven things you never knew about the Northern Lights. The southernmost continent in the world, Antarctica surrounds the South Pole . The Ozone Hole in Antarctica The seasonal thinning of the ozone layer of the earth's atmosphere above Antarctica, so allowing abnormal amounts of ultra-violet light to reach the earth's surface in those regions. Of course, we know today what causes the phenomenon. 13. Aurora australis, the southern lights, are caused … The best place to see polar bears and Northern Lights would be in areas close to the Arctic Circle, such as Greenland, the Canadian Arctic and Spitsbergen. The fifth largest continent, it has a greater land area than both Europe and Australia. After all, they’re convenient for most of us living in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and even Russia – even if you have to travel to see them. 8. The incredible images, snapped across the world, have been selected to be part of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year collection - curated … It’s the same phenomenon as the Northern Lights, and appear during the Antarctic winter between March and September. The effect is known as the aurora borealis (or the Northern Lights) in Northern hemisphere latitudes. A series of interesting facts about the Arctic, prompted by our recent trip to the Greenland ice sheet. 300 units (green) is normal, less than 220 (blue) is a "hole" What is ozone? Stunning amateur pictures of the Southern Lights in Antarctica have been revealed by a chef working for the British Antarctic Survey team. Antarctica's clean air, water and ice of are of importance to science for understanding how the Earth's environment is changing both naturally and as a result of human activity. The mythology of the northern lights. Seeing the Yukon Northern Lights is … This auroral zone covers Central and northern Alaska and Canada, Greenland, northern Scandinavia and Russia in the Northern Hemisphere, and Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere. The Northern Lights can appear at any time, but they usually grace the sky between 6 o’clock in the evening and 1 o’clock in the morning. 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