Studying the Northern Lights: More Than A Pretty Picture

The scientific term is aurora borealis, but the northern lights have many names: the Green Lady, merry dancers, guovssahasat, and revontulet, or “fox fires.” No matter what you call them, they have been tempting travellers forever.

Everyone wants to capture the elusive green lights as they dance across the dark sky. Though, it seems a little crazy to build your entire holiday on the chance of seeing them. Something this magical and spectacular deserves a bit more attention. Make it the centrepiece, surrounded by science, history and culture.

The Green Lady is indeed more than a pretty picture. She is a natural phenomenon.

The people of Tromsø, Norway, know this better than anyone. It is one of the best places to chase the lights and also one of the premier locations to study the science and cultural significance of the aurora borealis.

From the Sámi people who have lived with the phenomenon for generations to the scientists who study it, Tromsø is at the heart of the northern lights.

The Science Behind the Borealis

Start at the museum

If you’re planning your holiday around seeing the northern lights, it helps if you understand how they happen—and how you can improve your chances of a sighting.

Start with the science and head to The Arctic University Museum of Norway, Northern Norway’s oldest scientific institution. The museum is part of a collection of Tromsø attractions that also includes the Polar Museum, MS Polstjerna and the Tromsø Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden.

Its permanent Under the Lights exhibition covers northern lights research, mythology and the questions scientists are still trying to answer.

The small but comprehensive exhibit covers the basics of northern lights science while offering insights into what we still have to learn.

The science-based display takes you through the history of studying the aurora, from Sámi stories to ongoing research into whether the aurora can be heard—a popular debate among observers. It is a fully interactive display, teasing your curiosity and tempting you to learn more.

As you walk through the entry tunnel under a visual display of dancing lights, you can’t help but hope for the real thing.

A great deal of research continues to go into understanding and forecasting auroral activity. However, this is not simply for tourists’ viewing pleasure. Space weather can affect telecommunications, satellites and electrical infrastructure.

What creates those colours?

Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland helped establish our modern understanding of the connection between the aurora, charged particles from the Sun and Earth’s magnetic field.

We now know that energetic particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field and enter the upper atmosphere, where they transfer energy to oxygen and nitrogen. When those gases release the energy, we see light.

The colours depend on the gas involved and the altitude. Green—the colour most commonly associated with the northern lights—is produced mainly by oxygen. Oxygen higher in the atmosphere can also create red aurora, while nitrogen contributes blue, purple and pink.

The beautiful display also signals something much more powerful happening above us.

In September 1859, the Carrington Event produced a geomagnetic storm so intense that telegraph systems were disrupted and auroras appeared far beyond the regions where they are normally seen. In 1989, another geomagnetic storm knocked out power across Quebec for nine hours.

That’s motivation enough for Norway to continue its long history of scientific research into the lights. The tourism industry benefits, of course, with plenty of mobile apps claiming to help predict the next show.

There’s more than aurora science here

It’s worth taking some extra time to explore the museum and all it offers.

During our winter visit, we even tried a traditional Norwegian kicksled on the surrounding paths outside.

The museum also houses displays examining the natural and cultural history of Northern Norway, including the permanent exhibition Sápmi: Becoming a Nation, which explores how the Sámi fought against oppression while protecting their culture, rights and identity.

Their history adds another dimension to the experience of chasing the guovssahasat.

Learning From the Sámi Under the Northern Lights

An unforgettable night at a Sámi reindeer camp

One of the best cultural activities you can enjoy in Northern Norway is learning first-hand from the Sámi people.

On our trip to Norway, my 12-year-old son and I stayed overnight at Tromsø Lapland, a Sámi reindeer camp with traditional lavvu tents.

We were one of the lucky groups.

Our first sight of the aurora was a wisp of soft white cloud dancing above the reindeer camp. From now until forever, reindeer and Sámi people will live next to the word “magical” in my mind.

Did you hear it?

One of the guides was eager to ask me, “Did you hear it?”

It may seem like the weirdest question after a visual show like the northern lights. However, our guide explained that the Northern Sámi word guovssahasat has long been associated with the idea of the lights being heard.

Alas, I did not hear a thing.

Perhaps it was because I was laughing and cheering and calling out, “thank you!” at the time. I was pretty excited, having travelled with my son all the way from Sydney, Australia, for the chance to see them.

Sámi traditions surrounding the northern lights often emphasise respect. We were told to remain calm and quiet beneath them and not to mock or provoke the lights.

Amidst our enthusiasm, the lights did not sing.

Fortunately, our guides were happy to share our enthusiasm—and many more stories—over a traditional dinner of reindeer stew.

Reindeer, culture and contemporary Sámi life

The Sámi people have lived with the aurora borealis for thousands of years.

Despite their wealth of knowledge and experience in the Arctic, the Sámi endured generations of assimilation and oppression that threatened their language, culture and identity.

Reindeer husbandry remains an important part of Sámi culture and livelihood. In Norway’s Sámi reindeer-grazing areas, reindeer husbandry is closely protected as an Indigenous right and cultural tradition.

Today, Sámi-owned tourism experiences can offer travellers opportunities to learn about contemporary Sámi life, history and traditions directly from the people who live them.

Aurora Chasing Is a Personal Journey

Choose the experience, not just the photograph

Part of the allure of the northern lights is the hope of catching that one perfect photo with a streak of green—or red or purple—across the night sky.

There are many bus tours that take visitors out of the city in hopes of seeing the lights. Many rely on weather forecasts, solar activity and mobile apps to improve the odds of finding clear skies.

It is important to remember that none of them can guarantee you will catch the aurora. Scientists are still working on that.

The best tours make the journey just as remarkable as the show itself.

We asked on travel forums for recommendations, specifically looking for a tour that included stargazing and photography. At least if we missed the aurora, we could learn some skills and make the most of the night sky.

Thanks to this approach, we learned about Daniel at Tromsø FlexiTour.

In the weeks leading up to our tour, Daniel shared tips about camera equipment and weather prediction to help us book the best date for the tour. By the time he collected us from our hotel, we were feeling a little more confident about capturing at least one good photo—if the opportunity should arise.

Again, we were lucky and caught quite a few good photos!

Yet, if you ask my son what he remembers most about that night, he will talk about the “Norwegian Hot Dogs” cooked on the camp stove.

He will laugh about the stories we shared with our small group of chasers, hearing about travel from near and far. He will beam with pride for the photos he captured of the aurora and the stars when the aurora was gone. He has really taken to night photography now.

Most of all, he remembers the experience of sitting out in the freezing cold and enjoying the company of others.

Sure, he remembers seeing the lights, but he treasures the experience more.

More Than A Pretty Picture

The northern lights feature high on most bucket lists. It is one of those experiences that genuinely needs to be seen.

A word of caution: it is rarely exactly like what you see in photos.

Cameras can capture colours and detail that may appear more subdued to the naked eye, particularly when auroral activity is weaker. Many tourists are surprised—and sometimes disappointed—when they first see a less intense display.

But for those who smile wistfully with recollection, there are usually stories to go with it.

It could be the pursuit of science, the history and traditions of the Sámi, or even the contentment of good company on your own personal journey.

The Green Lady sings and dances with us all.

And you can’t capture that in a photo.

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