"Better See It Once Than Hear About It
A Million Times."
"Towards the northest of North, in the magical skies, exists a Goddess called Aurora Borealis."
Tourists flocked to Tromsø due to 2 natural wonders:
1) The Midnight Sun from late May to late July - AKA The Polar Days where the sun does not set where the lowest point of the sun is just almost on the horizon.
2) The Northern Lights from late September to late March - where Auroras hunters come together for this sight.
Tromsø is a good place to hunt for aurora is because of its perfect location within the Arctic Circle. The Artic Circle is an imaginary line of latitude 66° 33ʹ north of the equator. It is the farthest region that experiences polar days and polar nights. During winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, the sun will not rise all day and during summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, the sun will not set. This phenomenon is caused by the tilt of the earth's axis and how it affects this area of the world more intensely based on its extreme northern locations.
Here is the map of the Arctic Circle where it covers 8 countries: Norway, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, Alaska and Canada.
What are Northern Lights?
Formally known as Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display of several colors that occurs in the night skies of the Northern Hemisphere (high-latitude regions), near the Arctic Circle. Though the Northern Lights are there all the time, but it is only visible at certain times of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, typically from September through April when the surrounding is very dark with minimum light pollution and clear skies. These mesmerizing natural light displays occur at altitudes of at least 80 and 250 kilometer above the earth surface.
But this does not mean they will appear every night, some time you need luck and good clear dark skies.
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| Extracted from google. |
What causes the Aurora Borealis?
This natural phenomenon is caused by electrically charged particles from the sun entering the Earth's atmosphere and colliding with gaseous particles like oxygen and nitrogen. The collision causes the release of energy in the form of light which appears in the sky as a colorful and vibrant display of green, blue, red, pink, green, violet shades.
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| Extracted from google. |
When is the best time to see Aurora Borealis?
Technically, this is an all-year-round phenomenon, but it is much much easier to search for them in the winter when the night is really dark and clear due to the dry weather. The nights are longer in winter adding more hours for the lights to dance above the skies. It is nearly impossible to catch the aurora during the season of "Midnight Sun".
It is encouraged to join a professional tour for the hunt as these guides are well equipped with knowledge and tools to make the hunt easier.
It is also fun to DIY as long as you shortlisted the best place with open, clear and dark atmosphere to make the fun easier for noobs.
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| Extracted from google. |
Essential for a successful hunt - You need these 3 things:
1) Minimum light pollution - Aurora activity is more visible when other lights sources are removed or reduced.
2) A clear sky - If it is too cloudy, then the chances to see the aurora is greatly reduced. It is very important to check the weather beforehand and narrow down your targeted venue for the best visibility. Look out for stars, that's means there is a clear opening.
3) Lady's luck - Nobody knows exactly when the aurora will appear, there is no way to predict them either. It is all up to Mother's nature. Good Luck!
Why are there different colors of the Northern Lights?
The aurora often appears as curtains of lights, but they can also be in the shape of spirals beams in the Earth's magnetic field.
Most of the light is in green in colors but at times during the storms of fluxes in the Earth's magnetic field, mixture of colors is expected. In another word: YOU ARE SUPER LUCKY.
When there is nitrogen in the atmosphere, you will get the lights in violet, red, pink or blue.
When there is oxygen in the atmosphere, you will get the standard color of green.
However, we each individually receive different colors from our eyes signal to the brain.
Do not expect that we will be all seeing the same shapes and colors though the northern light that we saw at different places came from one same source.
For my MR, he managed to see bright green stretch above our heads while I was only able to see more white colors with very mild green lines.
I can see red color of the Lady, but he could not.
But when we looked at the photos, the colors are brightly captured.
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| Extracted from google. |
Extra Tips - based on my experience.
1) Dress warm - the best places to see aurora must be dark, clear and open. You are exposed to open, so it is real cold at the outskirts where the snow is almost knee's height. We had 2 layers of Uniqlo Heatech Ultra for top and bottom. Snow boots is necessary, and a pair of extra socks just in case your shoes are not waterproof.
2) Be prepared to answer your nature's calls in the open. Not all tour buses are equipped with toilets. So you might need to bring some personal stuff that you think you might need them. This job is always easy for the men.
3) For ladies, who are not capable to answer nature's call in the open, like me... I opt not to eat and drink much water. Instead, I brought mints to replace water. Most tour company will provide snacks and hot drinks.
4) Get enough sleep the night before. Imagine 10hrs of hunting since 6pm and you will expect be back at 4am.
5) Tripod because my Samsung has the function of "Expert Raw of Astrophoto 4min". It saves my hand from holding high the phone in the cold.
6) The snow in the wild can get pretty deep, if you are bringing a young child along do take note that the snow might reach her waist area.
Can I see Lady Aurora in the town?
Not only us, but everyone will turn into Aurora hunters at night.
Afterall, who doesn't wish to be an independent hunter with tons of luck!
And even Tromsø which is known to have KP index 0 to 1, you will still be able to catch the lady in the town.
Though, the sunset around 1430hrs on the first week of February but it is not dark enough for the lights to appear.
If you are at higher points, your luck will start to appear from 1800hrs onwards.
If you are ground levelled, you can start to raise your heads from 2100hrs.
We tried and tested DIY in the town with high light pollutions and those nights were pretty cloudy where we only caught a faint glimpse of the Lady.
These are the photos we got from the town:
When the sonar activity is very strong on the clear skies, the Lady will appear in brighter green.
It is also tested and proved by people that they no need to travel far, they can meet the Lady at the harbour of the town.
I had done my research that there are also few dark places near town that are easily access by foot and public buses where you can check bus schedule at Fylkestrafikk :
a) Mandelasletta - https://maps.app.goo.gl/ByRrTscH2ytgJG3b6
b) Tomasfjord - https://maps.app.goo.gl/e7YoHj1oRyWetbBE8
c) Vervet - https://maps.app.goo.gl/bapEaWozsFHCLUe28
d) Telegrafbukta (South Beach) - By Bus
e) Prestvannet Reservoir - by Bus
If you have a car, you can just drive further out too.
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Northern Lights Big Bus Chase
By Chasing Lights
10 hours included hot beverages and snacks.
Price: NOK2400 / SGD301.64 for 2 people
3 men team that are deployed to take care of us: Jonas as the guide, Jacob (from Australia) as co-guide and Jan the local bus captain.
They are polite, enthusiastic, chatty and handsome who took great care of the group.
This is a 10-hour chase via a big bus which is 44 seaters.
The bus is clean, and the seats were comfortable though the leg spaces can be improved a little more.
There is a charging port attached at each seat, so we our battery will always be full for the chase.
There is a toilet attached but it is very small, everyone is expected to do their business while seated, of course the men are encouraged to do it in the wild. I think this is very common practice here. And whenever the bus stopped, you can see some guys run to the back and settle their business in the open dark.
Back to the toilet in the bus, water is reserved for flushing of toilet. There is no running water for washing hands though sanitizers are provided. Water tank is limited, and it is understandable for such rules.
The weather today is not very good too, we went all the way into Finland which took us 3hrs one way.
Here in Käsivarrentie of Finland, it is actually a side pocket of a road, though cars are less but it is still a road after all and the place was very dark, please be cautious.
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| The border landmark of Norway and Finland, from google. |
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| The scene when we arrived it was snowing. |
While waiting, the 3 men team set up a bonfire, a makeshift kiosk for drinks and snacks which I called it "Aurora cafe"
Jonas will gather us to surround the bonfire, he will tell us stories about aurora and also a bonding session.
The co-guide, Jacob will do his job by looking for clear skies and etc. and Jan the bus captain will go back to take care of the bus. According to their sources, the snow is stopping and there is a chance of clear sky.
Guide Jonas decided that we shall wait a little longer for the skies to be clear and asking us to help him look out for stars.
If you can see the stars, even if only 1 star, the chance is there, it means the sky is clear.
After near 2hrs of waiting, the skies were still very cloudy, and snowing heavily and we waited nothing.
Jonas called for a retreat as we need another 3hrs drive back to Tromsø, but they promised us that they will still be looking out for clear skies while on the way back.
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| Though snow stopped but the sky was still very cloudy. |
We co-operated and retreated back to the bus, the air was filled with disappointment, but everyone knows it's all depended on your luck.
While driving back, I could hear multiples discussions between the 3J as I was seated quite front of the bus.
We are blessed that the 3Js did not gave up, they kept looking for clear skies when we were on the way back to town.
Finally, at fjord near Elsnes, they saw an opening in the skies and made a stop and here... we got the Lady Aurora doing some slow dance.
Though, through my naked eyes, it is greyish white with mild greenish colors of horizontal beam that splattered across our heads above, as I observed, it changes it shapes and sizes, it doesn't stop moving, "it is alive!" We managed to adore her is few different looks as she was swaying through the beyond.
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| Found this is google that gave us a clear picture between naked eyes and over the camera. |
My man was lucky, he saw bright green strips whereas I saw mostly greyish white with very mild green. I think this is depends on how our eyes receive it.
The final clear look at this place where a beam shot down from a above, through a very small opening.
Before we end the tour, we caught a pretty icicle over the rim of the wheel, it is really very cold.
By the time we are back to Tromsø, it was already 4am in the morning. Though tired, but worthed!
It was such a memorable night with unforgettable sights.
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| wondering if those were "shooting stars"? |
The video that was sent by Jonas.
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Polar Northern Light Chase by Minibus
By Polar Adventure
6 hours included hot beverages and snacks.
Price: NOK2900 / SGD373.83 for 2 people
This is our second chase and we had accumulated experience from the night before, we even discuss a plan what to do tonight for both of us. The mission for tonight is "snap as much photos as possible."
The skies today are clear since afternoon and we are very confident that tonight's chase will be better than last night.
The meeting point is at their office which is right behind Scandic Ishavshotel, just 1 minute walk away.
The French guide is very good looking, has a long name and the chatty bus captain is from Romania.
Both took good care of all of us and make sure no one was neglected.
We were very lucky; we went to 3 rewarding locations. We even took photos of the Northern lights with various stars and the Big Dipper and Small Dipper. I even saw red color, but my MR did not as individual eyes received different signals.
The locations below might not accurate as I was too excited and forgotten to ask the guide, so I used google map to marked as per my "current location".
Spot 1 - Ringvassøya
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The guide is also a professional photographer, taking photos of us with Lady Aurora.
Spot 2 - Kvaløysletta
At this spot, guide decided here as our base where he set up the bonfire and "Aurora Cafe"... but we were very concentrating on the tripod and the aurora, we did not take any other photos at all.
The guide offered me a drink which I politely declined and the reason I gave him was I am afraid of I might have the need to visit the toilet, he double check again if I have the need for nature's call. That is so nice of him because he sounded like if I am in need, he will get the driver to drive us to the petrol station.
This is the spot where we spent most of our time here as the activity of Lady Aurora is very strong here. The guide is professional, he knows his job well.
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Spot 3 - Unknown Location - totally forgot to check.
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| 7 stars constellation: Big dipper or small dipper? |
There was a fellow tour mate who saw mainly whites on the aurora, and he did not have a good camera, he saw that we managed to snap wonderful photos and he asked us politely to share some to him which we gladly do so.
By the time we got back to our hotel, it was 2am.
What a wonderful night that it is such an experience beyond my horizons.
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Summary
When you do not have a car, I strongly recommend you getting the tour from professional agency.
The guides do not rely on any handphone apps for the hunt, because they do not believe the apps at all.
In fact, they have their equipment, and they have good experience to predict the chances too.
There are about 130 travel agents here to choose from, but during high seasons every tour will be sold out, so it is good to prebook earlier.
If you find yourself in a last minute's situation, instead of walking all over the town, go direct to the Tourist Office (Visit Tromsø), this is because they hold the final stats of all the tours here. From there, the staff will assist you to book the most suitable tour for you. Trust me, the staff are very nice, friendly and patience. Well, our aurora tour was cancelled due to bad weather, we received the cancelled email 2 hours before the tour and somebody actually suggested going to Tourist Office. and that is where we could get a replacement with Polar Adventures.
One of the best times of our lives in our Arctic Journey can be found here:
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Here are the shortcuts to the blogs on our trips in/ from Switzerland around last Christmas:
Between 2022 to 2023, we visited The Netherlands & Belgium, here to share : Amsterdam, The Hague , Kinderdijk , Haarlem , Brussel, Bruges and Antwerp.
We even moved to stay in Denmark during the peak of Covid : Relocation from Singapore to Aalborg, Denmark
Feel free, you are most welcome to browse through my other blogs to France, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and cruises etc.
Next Trip: Bangkok again but this round it is pure sisters' trip for me & Miss Piggy only, then I need to go back to Denmark for a month before coming back to Singapore.
Shanghai is in the plan but not confirmed yet, please check out later. :D
Lastly, thanks for dropping by and wish you good luck!
"I travel because seeing photos in books and brochures was not good enough for me, To be there, that was everything."
