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Northern Lights FAQs
If you are interested in taking a northern lights expedition, here are the Northern Lights FAQ for you to read so that you'll have a better idea on what will be in store for you.
What are Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon which is a result of gases created by the solar activity on the sun's surface. Once they hit the earth, these gases react with the magnetic field of the earth which causes the exhibition of different colors that is known as the Aurora Borealis.
What does Aurora Borealis mean?
In 1621, Pierre Gassendi, a French philosopher and astronomer named the Aurora Borealis after Aurora, which is the goddess of dawn of the Romans, and the Greek word Boreas which means north wind.
What are the Northern Lights colors?
Oxygen atoms produce green and red light whereas nitrogen produces a violet-colored light. The varying colors depend on how far these gases are produced in the atmosphere. Green is the most common color that you can see when viewing the Northern lights.
When are the best months to view the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights can be viewed on a dark and cloudless night. In Polar Regions, this is between October and March. If there are clouds covering the sky, it's not possible to view the Northern Lights because they are located high in Earth's atmosphere. During summer, the skies are not too dark in the evening which makes it hard to view the aurora borealis even if there is a strong solar wind activity. During midwinter, temperatures may drop to -40 degrees and you need to wear the right winter clothing to fully enjoy the sight.
When is the right time to view the Northern Lights?
Usually, the most active area of the aurora borealis is visible at local midnight. Thus, the best time to view the northern lights is at local midnight. The Northern Lights can be viewed any time in a dark sky. However, they are rather unpredictable. Under normal conditions, viewing the Northern Lights at midnight will most probably yield best results.
Where is the right place to take a Northern Lights tour?
In order to have a best view of the Northern Lights, you have to make sure that you're staying in a place that is free from light pollution. Thus, you have to stay out of big towns and cities and journey into the natural wilderness.
How long do Northern Lights displays last?
Usually, the Northern Lights displays can last for only a few minutes and takes place a few times every night. However, great displays that can last up to 3 hours have been observed as well, though they happen less frequently. It is said that the energy produced with these bigger displays is comparable to a small nuclear blast.
Now that you know the important facts about this most breathtaking natural phenomenon in the world by reading the northern lights FAQ, there's no reason for you not to book a Northern lights excursion now.
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