The Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, or Southern Lights depending on where you are on earth. This remarkable natural phenomenon is caused by our own sun – the suns magnetic fields become knotted together eventually bursting into what we call sunspots. As the temperature on the surface of the sun rises and falls, essentially boiling and bubbling, these sunspots explode out of the surface of the sun hurtling particles of plasma into space. The solar wind that these explosions are caught on take on average, 40 hours to get to earth. Once they hit the atmosphere of our earth, they cause what we call, the aurora borealis. A dancing light display of breath-taking beauty. Interestingly these auroras are created on every planet’s surface throughout our solar system. Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn and Neptune all have incredibly thick atmospheres and strong magnetic fields, each of which cause the aurora phenomena when the solar winds blow past the planets taking the plasma with it. Fascinatingly, each of the planets, due to their different atmospheres, will have varied light auroras – Venus has an aurora generated by its stretch-out magnetic field (a ‘magnetotail’). Mars, which has too thin an atmosphere for global auroras, experiences local auroras due to magnetic fields in the crust.

Where is best to see the Northern Lights then? Norway is up there with one of the best locations in the world to view the northern lights. Between late September through to late March, Northern Norway is at its most dark from early afternoon right until late morning. Norway has a bold claim that this northern Norway, with its many small islands, deep fjords, and steep mountains, along with the spectacular Northern Light display, Norway is one of the most beautiful and interesting places.

Northern Norway is a fabulous and truly stunning country, having been settled for thousands of years already, it has historically wise, thrived off excellent fishing due to its relatively warm climate for where it is and its ice-free harbours. The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is one property we would highly recommend when wanting to stay in a location you are guaranteed to see the magical dancing northern lights. Sorrisniva is all about nature and has huge family values to boot. The Igloo Hotel is very exciting place to stay with its remarkably beautiful, sculpted architecture – all by hand! Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is the most Northernmost ice hotel in the world and offers delicious gourmet food, matched perfectly with its chic and totally luxurious décor.

If your seeking something with a bit more Norwegian tradition, when thinking about planning your northern light stays, then the Union Oye is the place for you. It is the epitome of elegance and grandeur. The décor is traditional yet extremely luxurious, very reminiscent of the luxury hotels of old. Not only can you see the northern lights, dancing above the stunning surrounding fjords, but there is also a lot of other activities you can do here – but you must try and fit taking in the stunning grounds and magical gardens.

If you would like any help, assistance or just spark off ideas with someone about planning your adventure to the Arctic Circle, then please give us a call! We are dying to tell you all about the incredible adventures you can find yourselves on, places of which you wouldn’t have even dreamed of.