Norwegian Northern Lights

Where to go for Northern Lights? Some say Finland, others Sweden, yet others Alaska or Iceland. They are all good. Any glimpse of Northern Lights is worth it. But if one wants an unparalleled experience, it is Norway by leaps and bounds.

Tromso – pronounced Trumso is a good starting point. Alta is very near and also exceptional. Add to that Lofoten, Vesteralen, Varanger peninsula and one will be joining gems. There are direct flights from Oslo and Bergen, Norway s first and second cities and international gateways. It sits at a latitude of about 70 degrees North, way north of Oslo at 60 degrees and clearly above the line of the Arctic Circle. Short excursions from the city lights on a Winter night – end January is ideal for example – and one can witness the indescribable magic. Neither words nor photos can adequately capture the experience. It is worthy of a Bucket List.

So what are the colors of Northern Lights- violet, pink, green, yellow, blue. My overwhelming impression is violet and green. Violet is the most dramatic and perhaps the most typical. That s why it sticks in the mind. Green makes it look other worldly. Sometimes it’s like a strobe jet into the sky, heaven’s laser show. Sometimes it is its own Milky Way. Sometimes its waves across the ciel, sometimes ripples, at other times both. It is faint at times at other times intense and luminous. The patterns too vary . There is little standardization but it is invariably spectacular.

This is Nature. It can never be taken for granted. So even if one chooses the best place, the best time of the year and the most likely time of night, nothing might happen. That is part of it. The next night or an hour later it may be mind-blowing.

So why Norway? The quality, brightness, intensity, variety, the creativity of design, the feeling of nearness are superb. Add to that the number of times it occurs and hence the likelihood, the number of places it occurs within a relatively short distance, one gets a winning formula. Norwegian Wood? Norwegian Northern Lights too!