The Illuminating lights of the Arctic

From December to January, the Arctic landscape experiences the polar nights; the period of year when the sun does not rise above the horizon. Around Tromsø this is from 27 November to 15 January (although the sun does not reach the city itself for a further week) and in Kiruna from 12 December to 04 January. With no sun visible you maybe think that it is dark all of the time but, you could not be further from the truth. This is the time of year when the sun’s most colourful and dramatic displays can be witnessed. Get your camera ready and be prepared to be amazed.

Yellow
As the sun peaks above the horizon to the east for the first time, warming yellows highlight the snow covered landscape. It appears as if there is a roaring fire in the next valley with rich oranges on the horizon and the deep purple sky merging with beige and light creams above. It is easy to understand why the return of nature’s fireball, and the energy it brings, is celebrated all across this region.

Pink
For weeks the winter sun plays a game of hide and seek with the mountain peaks along the Norwegian coastline and Swedish mountain resorts, until it climbs high enough to breech their summits. As the sun climbs in the sky, the towering hills are coloured pink and shine like a beacon, seen for miles around, in complete contrast to the terrain below.

Blue and purple
There is something magical about the array of blues and purples that colour the skies above the Arctic. One minute it is feint with a silver tint and the next a deep navy blue illuminated with stars. Visible from the early afternoon the night sky here is breathtaking with constellations clearly displayed overhead.

Look east and see the moon. Look west and enjoy watching the sun setting – The sunsets and sunrises are beautiful at this time of year, often with the whole spectrum of the rainbow visible as far as the eye can see.

Silver/grey
In the wilderness where the sun has not yet reached the air is crisp and the landscape silver and chilled. The snow clings to the tree branches and footsteps embedded in the white ground. If illuminated by light the snow glistens like a million diamonds.

Aurora Borealis
Of course the most illustrious Arctic colours are those of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. These dazzling displays are created as highly charged electrons from the solar winds collide with atoms in our atmosphere. The energy released during the encounter results in one of the world’s most beautiful light shows. Greens (most common), reds, blues and purples can all be witnessed dancing in the skies above. It is a truly moving event.