See the aurora
It is no surprise that visitors head north in the winter to hopefully catch a glimpse of the famed Aurora Borealis. Above the city lies an Aurora Oval, a circle of aurora emissions around a geomagnetic pole. Being positioned right under one of these ovals, means you have a greater chance of seeing the lights. In the Nordics, the lights flow over the Troms and Finnmark counties at night, whereas during the day they float mostly unseen over Norway's most northern island, Svalbard. In Tromsø, the lights are almost always on, however to see them, the night must be clear and the emissions strong. To stand under this spectacular display is food for the soul. You can chase the lights by heading to a dark spot, like a nearby hill, or by the fjords and be sure to do so on a clear night. The further you are from the city lights, the better you can see them, so pack a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee, some snacks, a blanket and head off on a light's trip.
The northern lights show
Northern Norway and Tromsø are known for their amazing northern lights. This natural phenomenon, also known as the Aurora Borealis, lights up the winter skies like a living painting. The colorful streams are the result of energy particles from the sun colliding with the earth's atmosphere from 80-500 kilometers above us. The gasses from earth then create light when coming into contact with the sun's particles, and give off the beautiful sky show that has attracted visitors from across the globe. The display itself is difficult to describe. Each show is different with greens, pinks and even reds. Make sure you visit to see it for yourself. If you want to see the magical lights show when in Norway, head north and you may be lucky enough to catch this phenomenon.
