Aurora: Nature's Most Spectacular Light Show

First, I would like to thank all of you AZs, who visit to my blog and keep visiting regularly to hear out my views, reviews, experiences. This article is special because with your motivation, I have crossed the century of writing articles. Yes, this is 101 articles. Some are good and some are not, I admit. But, as my understanding to writing will improve, conveying my message to you will also improve. It is a continuous process. As AToZ stands this is not about particular area but rather collaboration of different topics and why not our daily life is not based on single subject. We feel, experience and work on different areas each day so why limit ourselves. So, on this day, I thought to write about something which is makes this occasion heavenly. And what is more heavenly than phenomenon which is as rare it is and most spectacular in its own way, the northern lights.

  

1) What are Northern Lights? 

I always want to visit the location where I can see northern lights or more scientifically Aurora. Aurora is natures wonder in true sense. Aurora is visible in two specific parts of northern and southern hemisphere. That is why the northern lights are called

 'Aurora borealis’ and 'Aurora Australis' in the south. Though they have more common or local names like polar lights, northern or southern lights. It really amazes me that something that destructive and display such a magnificent theatrical that you watch it in awe.

2) What cause such phenomenon?

 Why I called it destructive phenomenon? Let’s see how Auroras are formed.  This has to do with Sun and Earth's Magnetosphere. So, when Sun discharge a huge amount of Plasma or scientifically Coronal Mass Ejection(CME), which is 4th state of matter is essentially a chunk of charged particles. These charged particles are carried by solar wind to earth's path in 2-3 days. 

Now, earth’s core has molten iron rotating inside like a giant motor which creates a magnetic shield around our earth. When charged particles from the plasma which are electrons and protons comes in earth, they are mostly deflected by our magnetic shield. But, this shield is weaker on the either poles due to this some of the free charged particles enters magnetic field and smash into our earths exosphere or thermosphere which is the outermost layers of our atmosphere at blinding speed. They lost their energy and ionize and excite the atmospheric elements like oxygen and nitrogen atoms, this cause the emission of varying colors. Mostly in shades of pale green produced by oxygen molecule collision at about 60 miles altitude and pink to Shades of red produced by oxygen molecule at 200 miles altitude, blue, and violet by nitrogen sometimes.

Historically, the discovery of connection between the solar spots and the Auroras dated back to 1880 and it was established around late 1950s

3)  What are the best places to visit?

From tourism point of view this phenomenon attracts many travelers and is one of the major tourist attraction but due to its limited location and unpredictability made it hard to spot. There are few places in both Northern and Southern Hemisphere where these lights are visible like.

Northern Hemisphere

New Orleans in the western hemisphere, 

Northwestern parts of Canada, particularly the Yukon, Nunavut, Northwest Territories

Alaska,

Southern tip of Greenland

Iceland,

Northern coast of Norway, especially area around Tromso

Coastal waters, north of Siberia.

And, Northern Sweden's Abisko National Park as it is direst place in Sweden and have most clear nights

Southern Hemisphere

Antarctica 

Southern Indian Ocean

And sometimes New Zealand and Tasmania

4) Tourism Tips

There are few tips for the tourists who are travelling to these locations by the experienced.

1.  Northern Lights is natural phenomenon there for unpredictable. So, plan to visit for destination as well. So that you can enjoy the place as well.

2. Go to locations which are not too dense to avoid light pollution

3. Plan according to forecast and solar activity which reach its peak in every 11 years approximately. Last peak was 2013.

4. Look for the local weather forecast and avoid cloudy seasons. For example, Winter and springtime are generally less cloudy than autumn, around the northern lights region, so plan your trip between December and April.

5. Due to difficulty inn reaching locations to view aurora Australis. Northern lights are more famous

6. Some local hotels can arrange a wake-up call for Aurora, just make sure to ask for it at reception for night staff to inform you.

7.There is a reduction of Aurora sightings and is expected to reduce over the next decade by scientists in some parts of aurora belt but Northern Norway seems to be less effected. So, choose the location wisely.

8. plan to watch the sky between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. local time or the dark hours. The aurora can last about 30 minutes, and occur in every two hours cycle depending on the Solar activity.

9. Always plan for multiple days as there is no guarantee that weather will be with you.

5) Track the Forecast

Like you plan for any trip based on the season and local weather. this trip should also be planned according to the forecast provided by local Geophysical Institute like http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast. The Arctic circle as polar weather which is very unpredictable. Lookout for sunshine, clouds, rain, sleet, hail, snow and high winds as they can all happen in same day.

I admit the phenomenon of which images are this beautiful, now imagine what the actual experience would be in the chilling freezing nights in ice watching the waves and drama of these lights. As if whole environment come to life.

For those of us who cannot visit these far far away locations The Canadian Space Agency offers a live feed of the skies above Yellowknife, in Canada's Northwest Territories: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/auroramax/.

Footnotes

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Credits -

References -

Northern Lights: https://www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html

Aurora: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora

NORTHERN LIGHTS: https://www.visitnorway.com/things-to-do/nature-attractions/northern-lights/

Aurora Forecast: http://www.aurora-service.org/aurora-forecast/

The northern lights, one of several astronomical phenomena called polar lights (aurora Polaris), are shafts or curtains of colored light visible on occasion in the night sky.: https://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/northernlights.html

The Best Places (and Time) to See the Northern Lights: https://www.space.com/32601-where-to-see-northern-lights.html

5 Things No One Ever Tells You About the Northern Lights: https://luxeadventuretraveler.com/northern-lights/

Images - Pixabay