Northern Lights Experience

Northern Lights holidays & Escorted breaks -- In Search of the Aurora Borealis Northern Lights...

The Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights in North Norway are one of the most awe-inspiring sights on earth. Displays can vary in intensity – from a glowing curtain of greenish yellow lights, dancing in the distance to a spectacular, multi-coloured fusion stretching across the sky – but whatever one you’re lucky enough to see, when you do see the Northern Lights you will realise that they are without doubt one of the most astonishing natural phenomena you will ever witness.

Nigel Bradbury, fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society and expert astronomer will be escorting a number of visits and Northern Lights holidays for small and exclusive groups to Northern Norway (Troms Region) in January, February and March. Trips will invariably include at least one night in Tromsø and a visit to the University Planetarium can be included. Trips will be based at Malsev, Lauksletta and Hamn depending on the selected date. All centres offer excellent Northern Lights potential. Nigel will give lectures and some additional activities can be included depending on centre. As one will appreciate with this natural phenomena, there can be no guarantees, but with a clear night and carefully selected optimum times, there is a reasonable possibility. The level of display varies significantly depending on previous solar activity.

Nigel Bradbury is a Fellow of The Royal Astronomical Society and has appeared on a number of TV programmes. He has lectured on many guided astronomy trips and is a leader in Astro-Tourism. Nigel is devoted to promoting Astronomy and operates the Barnet Observatory in Chesterfield.

"Norway can be likened to Alaska on your doorstep, dark skies, clear air with no light pollution. Here in the Troms Region you cannot fail to be impressed by the Northern Lights I their full majesty. On a clear night one cannot fail to be impressed by the brightness, colour and structure of this unique display and I cannot imagine a better place to view this wonderful natural spectacle."

What is the Northern Lights

" What is the AURORA... Simply the most stunning spectacle nature has to offer. What causes it.... Solar plasma from the sun streams across space when it encounters the earths magnetic field. This plasma being electronically charged particles consisting of protons, electrons and stripped atomic nuclei, locks onto the magnetic field lines where it is drawn down, spiralling into the north and south poles. On contact with the earths atmosphere (about 70 miles up in space) this plasma reacts with the atmospheric particles, exciting them to incandescence, giving off the green and red lights often known as "the northern lights". More properly called the Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere and Aurora Australis in the southern hemisphere.

Put simply.. Its energy from the sun in the form of plasma reacting with our own earths atmosphere, giving off light in different colours due to the different gases within it."

Join Nigel on selected dates from the UK. These groups are generally limited to 12 clients per group.