THE NORTHERN LIGHTS - AURORA BOREALIS 

From November to January, the sun never rises above the horizon. But even during this dark season, there are a couple of hours of twilight which can be incredibly beautiful. We call this the blue light - or the blue season. During the autumn and winter, when the skies are clear, you can experience the fantastic Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights. The sight of the Northern Lights dancing across the skies in hues of green, pink and purple will stay with you for ever!

The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, this spectacular phenomenon of dancing mystic lights on the dark winter sky, is to be seen in Finnmark  - Norwegian Lapland again. You can never know when it appear and disappear again, but the lucky ones can experience the magic colour show from light green to dark purple flickering on the arctic sky.

On average, it is possible to see the Northern Lights on about 200 nights each year in Finnmark - Norwegian Lapland. The best possibility for this is during clear winter nights from October to April. The majority of the Northern Light is between 90 and 130 kilometres from the ground.

For you as a visitor, there are arranged tours for hunting after the Northern Lights in several villages around Finnmark.

More info about Northern Lights:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy)

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND THE BLUE SEASON
The Northern Lights are connected to the Polar regions, and you have a good chance of spotting this breathtaking phenomenon in Norwegian Lapland. The best period for observing the Northern Lights is from October to April. The world’s firstNorthern Lights observatory was built in 1899 on Halddetoppen, 904 metres above sea level, in Alta.

The Northern Lights have long had mystical connections, particularly in days of old when no-one knew what they were. Some believed the Northern Lights to be a warning of punishment or an admonition to be law-abiding citizens. Others believed that the Northern Lights were a warning of war or the plague. The Sami believed that the Northern Lights were souls of those passed on, waving down to earth while others believed them to be old maids dancing in the skies.

The Northern Lights are caused by vast volumes of electric particles (electrons) speeding towards the earth along the magnetic field and colliding with the upper strata of the atmosphere. On collision, these gases light up and the colours reflect those gases present in the atmosphere. If you would like to learn more about the Northern Lights, visit the web site
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy )

PLACE          MIDNIGHT SUN       BLUE SEASON
North Cape     11 may – 31 july           18 november – 24 january
Hammerfest    13 may – 28 july           20 november – 21 january
Vardø              14 may – 27 july           21 november – 21 january
Alta                 16 may – 26 july           23 november – 19 January