Northern lights in Lapland

To see the aurora, you need three things:

1. aurora
2. Darkness
3. a clear sky

The northern lights are not visible in the sun. From mid-April to mid-August, the nights are too clear to hunt the aurora. At the end of August, however, the nights became darker and the northern aurora season lasted until spring. Aurora activity peaks around equinoxes in September-October and March. In Lapland, the entire winter between equinoxes is also very active.

Three ideas to enjoy the northern lights perfectly:

#1 Snowshoes
Frosted snow cracks under your shoes as you dive deeper into the forests. Thick snow is not an obstacle when you wear snowshoes. The silence of the forest can be intimidating, but the darkness is ideal for observing the aurora boreales crepitating in the night sky. Breathe fresh and cold air and enjoy the light show. You can move at your own pace and stop as many times as you want.

#2 The sled
Being transported by animals into the forest is another way to enjoy the northern lights. Dog and reindeer sled walks are organized throughout Lapland. Very warm under the plaid, moment of happiness assured!

#3 Snowmobile
Finally, if you are looking for action and speed, jump on a snowmobile. The snowmobile will quickly take you away from the ski area lights to see the northern lights. In winter, snowmobiles are a popular trip in Lapland, widely used for work by reindeer farmers.

A little more about the aurora...

According to an old belief of Finnish Lapland, the northern aurora are created when a fox crosses the hills while whipping his tail against the snow, sending sparks into the night sky. Thus were born the fox fires.

 

Where do the northern lights come from?
The easy answer is: magic. The most complicated response begins at the heart of the sun, where particles are formed by intense nuclear reactions. Finally, these particles are taken from the sun during periods of high solar activity. These electrically charged particles fly and most completely miss the Earth, but some lucky ones are destined for our blue planet.

The sound is the colors of the northern lights.

• The sound of the aurora is a good question to which Finnish scientists responded only recently on 17 May 2022. For a long time, the noises of the northern lights have been recorded recently by the acoustic engineer, Unto Wool, University of Aalto, Finland. This is not common, but if the time of the day is perfect, you could hear something even more rare than the aurora themselves. Scientists have explained that on particularly cold and quiet nights, a warmer layer of air is created over a cold air layer. Then, opposite electrical loads can accumulate in these layers and cause noise during geomagnetic disturbances.
• The colour of the northern lights is often green. But sometimes, oxygen is really excited and will make a red light show appear. In exceptional times, these powerful red lights have even been seen to the Caribbean! (Such a geomagnetic storm in 1859 disrupted and destroyed telegraphic systems across Europe and North America.)

Photographic shipment!

For photography enthusiasts, the Northern Lights offer a unique learning experience. Hunting fiery foxes in heaven is not an easy task, but it can be accomplished with some good advice and patience. Equip your backpack with a tripod and a camera capable of slow shutter speeds. Also think about dressing warmly!

It is vital for your comfort and safety to dress properly.

A thick thermal combination is suitable if you stay still or drive a snowmobile. If you are going to hike, you should use the overlay and add or remove insulation depending on your level of activity. For example, long wool underwear and socks, an intermediate layer of fleece or wool, a light jacket for extra insulation and an outer layer windproof and waterproof. Choose pants that have snow closures. Avoid cotton, which gets wet and makes you cold!

• Keep your legs warm, because nothing spoils a journey like cold feet. Watch your boots. Choose a pair with thick soles. Take a slightly large pair and add extra wool socks. Winter boots can be 2 to 3 sizes bigger than your normal shoes!
• Put gloves on Under a set of thermal mittens, especially if you are going to use a camera. It can be very fast -30°.
• Choose a hot hat that protects your ears. You must also wear a hood, neck cover or scarf to protect your neck and face from the cold.
• Bring a front lamp or a flashlight to move safely in the dark. You can also take a thermal cushion — or maybe an authentic reindeer skin — to lie down or sit down. Also think about moving from time to time to circulate your blood, and keep you warm.
• Bring hot drinkswater and snacks. Bring coffee, tea, hot chocolate or hot juice in an insulated bottle, sandwiches, nuts and chocolate for snacks or even grilled sausages if there is a fireplace nearby.
• EBring a friend. Like all the great things of life, hunting the northern lights is better when it is shared, and much safer too!

The highest road in Finland

Even if there is no other light than the moon and the stars, you can feel the vastness of the landscape by seeing the rocky giants shape the horizon. The highest Finnish roads are in the mountains of northeastern Finland. The gazebos are more than 500 m above sea level. Far above the rolling hills and trees, the northern lights appear on average three out of four nights. There may not be a better place throughout Finland to admire the aurora above a magnificent arctic landscape.

Capture the moment!

Watching the silent dance of the Northern Lights is one thing. Preparing them for Instagram is another. The northernmost Finland is the best place to observe the northern lights, and at the same time attracts pros and newcomers to visit and photograph the northern lights throughout the winter.

The sounds of Lapland...

You will hear the snow crack under the wide plastic and metal rackets. When you go to see the northern aurora in east Lapland, you can see rabbit tracks, reindeer tracks and maybe even wolf tracks! The aurora make no noise when they sparkle and pass through the glittering stars.