ON TO THE NORTH

The further north you go, the greater your chances of seeing the northern lights – in Finnish Lapland, they are visible almost 200 nights a year. In order to see this light show, the sky must be clear and dark. That is why late autumn, winter and early spring are the best seasons for this. Although it looks as if you can grasp them with your hands, the northern lights are formed at an altitude of more than 100 km. They are generated by electronically charged solar particles and form spectacular light bands in different colours when atmospheric gases are carried off by solar winds. Incidentally, the Sami people see it somewhat differently. According to legend, the lights are created when a fox runs over the mountains and illuminates the sky with the sparks that fly from its tail as it stirs up the snow …