Goddess of Dawn: The Northern Lights

Dawn Goddess: Northern Lights As we gradually enter the winter season, plans for winter holidays are being prepared and tours are being finalized. When winter vacation comes to mind, one of the routes people think of is traveling to cold countries to watch the northern lights. Even as a child, one of my greatest dreams was to see the northern lights. I even decorated the wallpaper of my first phone with northern lights and would dream of traveling to northern countries every time I looked at the photo. Known as "Aurora Borealis," the northern lights can be observed in northern countries between December and March each year. During these months, many countries hosting tourists create special tours and routes dedicated to the northern lights. Also called the dawn goddess, the northern lights are created as a result of the interaction between the energy contained in solar rays and elements in the atmosphere. Similarly described among the public as "dancing spirits," these lights can only be observed at night and in places close to the polar circle. In this travel article, we are embarking on a journey toward Lapland and Greenland, where the northern lights can be seen.

Lapland

Lapland is a region where the northern lights can be observed and consists of the northern polar sections of Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The capital of Lapland is Rovaniemi, which is located in Finland. Although there are direct flights to Rovaniemi, they are quite expensive. For this reason, you can first go to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, and from there take a direct flight to Lulea, which is located in the Lapland region. Of course, tours organized by tour companies may also have different routes. When you fly to Lulea, besides watching the northern lights there, there are other activities to do. Since the northern lights can be observed for 15-20 minutes and are only visible at night, it would be quite practical to schedule different activities given that you have come so far north. One of the activities that can be done in the city of Lulea is taking a trip on the Baltic Sea with an icebreaker ship. In Lapland, or Laponya in Turkish, and even in the entire world, the city of Abisko in this region of Sweden is recommended as the place where you can best observe the northern lights. The reason for this is that it is the collision point of different air currents and the sky is clear in Abisko. Similarly, Nellim, located in Finland, is also one of the places where the northern lights can be observed at high frequency. To observe the northern lights, you need to go outside the city. Tents can be set up in the observation areas, and in some places you can even watch from glass igloos. On the Norwegian side, Tromso is one of the cities where you can observe the lights. There are direct flights from Turkey to Tromso. Alternatively, you can fly to Oslo, the capital of Norway, and then travel to Tromso from there. In Tromso, to see the northern lights, you again need to move away from the city and go to different locations. Among these, the most preferred place by tour companies is Skibotn. Tour companies organize many tours to Skibotn. If weather conditions are not suitable for viewing the northern lights, tours can be postponed.

Greenland

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is also among the points where the northern lights can be observed. Since all of Greenland is located within the Arctic Circle, the probability of seeing the northern lights there is quite high. The places where you can see the northern lights in this region are: Nuuk, Ilulissat, Isortoq, and Ammassalik. To reach Greenland, you must first go to Copenhagen and from there you can transfer to the island.

Conditions Required to See the Northern Lights

First of all, for the northern lights to be visible, the weather must be clear, so weather conditions are quite important. Another important point is staying away from light sources. Since the full moon illuminates the sky, it blocks the northern lights, so you should avoid dates when there is a full moon. Solar activity is known to follow a rhythm consisting of an 11-year cycle. At each stage of the 11-year cycle there is activity, but scientists say that within these 11 years there are times when activity peaks and hits bottom. If you time your trip to coincide with one of the high-activity years of the cycle, you can increase your chances of witnessing extraordinary views. By drawing an Aurora oval on the world map, the places where these lights can be seen have been identified. The longer you stay within this oval, the greater your chances of seeing the northern lights. For this reason, when planning your trip, you can include a few cities located within this oval in your route. Besides these, of course, the luck factor comes into play. You could return without ever seeing the northern lights, or you could witness the most impressive examples of this natural beauty. Prepared by: Nilsu Kotil