On the Hunt for the Northern Lights 

Sámi legend has it that the northern lights are actually fires in the sky, started by a fox running across the snowy Lapland fells. As the fox runs, its tail kicks up snowy sparks that ignite a spectacular display of dancing colours in the night sky.

Scientists will tell you that the northern lights are actually charged particles from the solar wind colliding with the Earth’s atmosphere and creating colourful light. The reactions occur high above the clouds, which is why the northern lights can only be seen on clear nights.

If you want to see the northern lights, follow these simple instructions:

• Go north: on a clear winter’s night in northern Lapland, you have about a 50% chance of seeing the northern lights. It helps to be in a place where there are not too many lights.
• Go outside: sometimes the northern lights will appear for just a fleeting moment. Other times you may be treated to an intense display of colours that light up the landscape around you.
• Go online: the Finnish Meteorological Institute has a website dedicated to tracking and forecasting the northern lights. Visit http://aurorasnow.fmi.fi/ and sign up to be alerted when the conditions are just right.