What are the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights are an incredible light display that takes place throughout the year. It occurs as a result of electrically charged particles entering the earth’s atmosphere from space. These particles then collide with molecules and atoms that are present in the atmosphere. This causes the particles to heat up, and then a curtain-style lights show of beautiful blue, greens, pinks and purples. The process of these particles colliding and heating up is called ‘excitation’.

Northern Lights in Norway

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The lights are seen in the northern hemisphere, and a trip to Finland or Lapland will see you having the chance to see these beautiful colours dancing across the sky. It is important to pack some nice warm fisherman sweaters for men like the ones that you can see from https://www.shamrockgift.com/aran-sweaters/mens-aran-sweaters/ to help keep you warm in the colder climates.

lofoten islands norway arctic aurora borealis northern lights

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It is important that you look for a clear, dark night when you try to view the lights, as clouds and light can obscure your visibility. The different colours in the lights appear as a result of the different gases that are encountered when the particles collide with atoms in the atmosphere. It also occurs as a result of the height at which this excitation of particles takes place. It is hydrogen and helium that make the green and blue colours that are most often associated with the Northern Lights.

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