Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
features where there are none. On clear days off the outermost coasts of Lofoten,
Vesterålen, northern Finnmark and Svalbard, you may well observe inverted moun-
tains or nonexistent archipelagos of craggy islands resting on the horizon. It's diffi-
cult indeed to convince yourself, even with an accurate map, that they're not really
there!
Also unsettling are the sightings of ships, large cities and forests where there could
clearly be none. Normal visibility at sea is less than 18km, but in the Arctic, sight-
ings of islands and features hundreds of kilometres distant are frequently reported.
Written in 1986,
Arctic Dreams
, by Barry Lopez, is the enduring classic of Arctic landscapes, wildlife and
peculiarly northern phenomena. It covers the entire Arctic, rather than simply Norway's Arctic territories,
but there is no finer exploration of the Arctic.
Another integral element in Arctic Norway's appeal is the soulful presence of the indi-
genous Sami people (
Click here
), they of the reindeer herds and proud cultural traditions,
forwhatcouldbemoremysteriousthanapeoplewhochoosetoliveinsuchaninhospitable
environment. Also part of Norway's Arctic mix is Svalbard, a lichen-strewn tundra land-
scapethatshometoEurope'sonlypopulationofpolarbears(seetheboxedtext,
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) and other iconic wildlife species of the Arctic North. Put all of these elements together
and Norway's Arctic takes on the quality of a frontier territory of the imagination.
The Aurora Borealis
There are few sights as mesmerising as an undulating aurora. Although these appear in
manyforms-pillars,streaks,wispsandhaloesofvibratinglight-they'remostmemorable
when taking the form of pale curtains wafting on a gentle breeze. Most often, the Arctic
aurora appears as a faint green or light rose but, in periods of extreme activity, can change
to yellow or crimson.
Northern Lights: The Science, Myth, and Wonder of Aurora Borealis
by Calvin Hall et al combines hard
science with historical legend and stunning photography to help unlock one of Norway's great mysteries.
Thevisibleauroraborealis,ornorthernlights,arecausedbystreamsofchargedparticles
fromthesun,calledthesolarwind,whicharedirectedbytheearth'smagneticfieldtowards
the polar regions. Because the field curves downward in a halo surrounding the magnetic
poles, the charged particles are drawn earthward. Their interaction with electrons in nitro-
gen and oxygen atoms in the upper atmosphere releases the energy creating the visible au-
