Trip The Fantastic
Light Picture by Markku Inkila Nellim
NASA has predicted that the most spectacular display of the Northern Lights for a decade will take place this autumn and tours are already booking up fast
globe’s frozen northern hemisphere. Te subject of folklore for centuries, the
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Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, continue to draw wonder and amazement from adventurous travellers who come from far and wide to experience one of the world’s most stunning natural phenomena. Now the ‘solar maximum’, the peak of the sun’s 11-year cycle of activity, is forecast from autumn through to December, offering the chance to view the Lights at their most glorious. Te best places to view include Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska and even Scotland and there are a range of specialist travel companies and tour options available. Northern Lights travel specialist Te Aurora
Zone operates tours of the best viewing spots in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland. Working as aurora-hunters, the company pro-actively
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hen solar flares hit the earth’s atmosphere, glowing ribbons of blues, greens, purples and oranges streak the skies over the
chases the Lights using a mixture of local knowledge and geophysical forecasts. It is billing this autumn as the perfect opportunity for those not willing to brave the sub-zero temperatures of a Scandinavian winter to see the magnificent spectral show in a slightly less freezing environment, with golden forests and flowing streams, and the incandescent auroras reflected in tranquil and unfrozen lakes. Whereas in winter, Aurora-hunters experience the beautiful Scandinavian countryside using snowshoes, snowmobiles and husky sleds, in autumn, travellers hike through forests accompanied by huskies and there’s also the option of panning for gold and digging for precious gems at Europe’s only working amethyst mine. Tis year’s autumnal tours have only been on sale a few weeks, and are already selling fast. Stephanie Eddy, Marketing Manager of Te Aurora Zone, said: “We have experienced huge demand for our Autumn Lights holidays – so much so that we are already looking to introduce
extra departure dates and some new trips.” Newly-weds Kimberley and Alan Crossley,
from Staffordshire, have booked with Te Aurora Zone to experience the Lights at remote Menesjarvi in Finland. It will be the realisation of a life-long dream for the couple, who have chosen to take their trip in December, and they will also take advantage of Te Aurora Zone’s ‘active’ holiday offerings including snow mobile riding, trekking and reindeer safari. Spurred on by the promise of a spectacular show thanks to the ‘solar maximum’ they decided to take the plunge for that most special of holidays, their honeymoon. Mrs Crossley said: “Since we first met we
knew this was something we both wanted to do and now with the prospect of the most amazing Lights show for a decade it is the right time to go for it. “It is a life-long ambition for us both but we wanted to experience it without getting caught up in the commercialism of Lapland and with
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