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Topic: Finland

Expert: Jim Coll
Date: 7/21/2008
Subject: Aurora Borealis in Finland

Question
Hi, I'm interested in the aurora borealis. Is it possibile to see it in september? What would be the best place? Finland? Sweden?

Thanks in advance.
Venom

Answer
Dear Venom,

The pulsating and multicoloured aurora borealis (the northern lights) are born at a height of about 100 kilometers above ground level as electrically charged particles collide with the earth's atmosphere near the magnetic poles. Aurora borealis can be seen from the beginning of September until April (but not every night!). Our summertime isn't dark enough for seeing northern lights (we have the midnight sun). There are northern lights in 200 nights in Saariselkä region every year. The Lonely Planet Blue List 2007 describes the aurora borealis as ”the World's Most Amazing Natural Phenomenon”.

So you can see the aurora borealis in September - but nobody can be sure about it. The best time is around a midnight or a bit before it. I have seen the most beautiful aurora borealis ever in Pello in the beginning of September. Other good places are Rovaniemi, Sodankylä, Kilpisjärvi, Kittilä (Levi), Inari and Saariselkä in Finnish Lapland (see http://www.tte.ch/finland/lapland/ , please).

More information:

A La Carte Lapland: http://www.alacartelapland.com

Arctic Academy: http://www.arcticacademy.fi

Arctic Circle Information: http://www.arcticcircle-information.fi/northernlights.html

Aurora in Levi center: http://www.kittilajournal.com/aurora.htm

Aurora photos by Studio Tunturi-Lappi: http://www.studiotunturi-lappi.fi/ (choose Aurora on the left)

Auroras now: http://aurora.fmi.fi/public_service/english/start_page.html and http://aurora.fmi.fi/public_service/english/earlier_auroras_material.html

Finland.com Travel Portal: http://finland.com/main-63-id.do

Finnish Meteorological Institute: http://www.fmi.fi/research_space/space_9.html

Hotel & Igloo Village Kakslauttanen (one of the best places for seeing Northern Lights): http://www.kakslauttanen.fi and http://www.travel.fi/int/kakslauttanen/

Jouni Jussila: http://spaceweb.oulu.fi/~jussila/aurora/

Kiela Naturium (Northern Lights planetarium in Muonio): http://www.kielanaturium.fi

Lapland Finland: http://www.laplandfinland.com/?deptid=16543

Northern lights forecast: http://cc.oulu.fi/%7Ethu/Aurora/forecast.html

Northern Lights paintings: http://www.revontulitaulut.com/english/etusivu.html

Oulu University: http://www.oulu.fi/~spaceweb/textbook/auroras.html

Polar Image (Aurora webcam & photos): http://www.polarimage.fi/menu/aurora.htm

Santa Television: http://www.santatelevision.com/northernlights/index.html

Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory: http://www.sgo.fi/

Ursa: http://www.ursa.fi/ursa/jaostot/revontulet/english.html

Virtual Finland: http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=25559 and http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/aurora_borealis.html

Visit Finland: http://www.visitfinland.com/w5/index.nsf/(pages)/Midnight_Sun_and_Northern_Lights?OpenDocument&np=A

Have a nice day and welcome to Lapland!

With very best regards,

Jim

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