Sunday March 18, 2012
Having grown up in a warm country almost every mundane “cold weather” phenomenon fascinates me. I still get a huge thrill seeing snow, for example. However one natural occurrence exclusively seen in cold countries has captured my imagination above all else – the aurora.
Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights as it is also known in the English speaking world, is a magical shimmering light show seen in the night sky in regions close to the north pole. It is caused by solar winds being deflected by the earth’s magnetic field.
Although there is the “Southern Lights” – the Aurora Australis – Australia is not located sufficiently south for it to be seen easily. The aurora would certainly be never be seen in my home town of Sydney, where we are so far away from the south pole that a typical winter day is a gentle 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit).
Ever since I was a boy I craved the aurora. They’re swathes of green curtains fluttering in the dark night sky, as if the Gods were making their beds? How can such an amazing marvel exist? Descriptions and photos of it seemed otherworldly. It defied belief. In fact it all sounded so wondrous it felt fictional – as if someone was making it all up as a joke on gullible fools.
That little boy was determined that as soon as he had the means he would travel to the ends of the world to seek out the Northern Lights.
Twenty years later I’m writing this from the far north of Finland. I’ve travelled all the way round to the other side of the globe to be in the village of Kilpisjarvi, just 10km from the point where Finland, Norway and Sweden meet. It’s sixty-nine degrees north, about 400km within the Arctic Circle. From research I know 2012 is the best in a dozen years to see the aurora, and that March and September are the most suitable months of the year. I cannot be in a better position.
Despite all this preparation, exasperatingly, seeing the Northern Lights depends overwhelmingly on luck. For one the weather has to be fine, as clouds will obscure any light show. And of course one cannot practically stay up all night looking up at the sky in freezing temperatures – the success of the aurora hunter is dependent on the lights occurring while the watcher is awake and outside.
I have done all I can. The boy is here. Please let it come.
Having grown up in a warm country almost every mundane “cold weather” phenomenon fascinates me. I still get a huge thrill seeing snow, for example. However one natural occurrence exclusively seen in cold countries has captured my imagination above all else – the aurora.
Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights as it is also known in the English speaking world, is a magical shimmering light show seen in the night sky in regions close to the north pole. It is caused by solar winds being deflected by the earth’s magnetic field.
Although there is the “Southern Lights” – the Aurora Australis – Australia is not located sufficiently south for it to be seen easily. The aurora would certainly be never be seen in my home town of Sydney, where we are so far away from the south pole that a typical winter day is a gentle 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit).
Ever since I was a boy I craved the aurora. They’re swathes of green curtains fluttering in the dark night sky, as if the Gods were making their beds? How can such an amazing marvel exist? Descriptions and photos of it seemed otherworldly. It defied belief. In fact it all sounded so wondrous it felt fictional – as if someone was making it all up as a joke on gullible fools.
That little boy was determined that as soon as he had the means he would travel to the ends of the world to seek out the Northern Lights.
 |
| Kilpisjarvi, Finland - even the village web site says it's the middle of nowhere! |
Despite all this preparation, exasperatingly, seeing the Northern Lights depends overwhelmingly on luck. For one the weather has to be fine, as clouds will obscure any light show. And of course one cannot practically stay up all night looking up at the sky in freezing temperatures – the success of the aurora hunter is dependent on the lights occurring while the watcher is awake and outside.
I have done all I can. The boy is here. Please let it come.
In the Latin-speaking world, it's still called the Aurora Borealis.
ReplyDeleteIf it's any consolation, I spent 6 years in northern Canadia and never saw them :) Good luck to you.
No, that's absolutely no consolation. It's the opposite of consolation, whatever that is.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I missed the one from two nights ago. It was my best chance.
Arghghghghgh!