Actress–vlogger Ahaana Krishna's latest trip is to the Nordic country Iceland and she has been sharing some spectacular views from the region with her followers. In her travel video posted on YouTube, Ahaana says that she had often imaged Iceland as a country filled with just ice. However, she has been mesmerized by the scintillating beauty and vivid landscapes of the country. In the video, Ahaana shows glimpses of beautiful mountain ranges, Black Sand beaches, picturesque countryside, rivulets and the phenomenon of the Northern Lights aka Aurora Borealis too.
Northern Lights is a peculiar phenomenon that lures millions of travel lovers to the North Pole. The natural display of red, green and blue lights in the night sky is caused when charged particles from the sun collide with the earth’s atmosphere. Ahaana said she has been dreaming of witnessing this magical display of lights for years. She confesses that she had to wait for 12 night before finally witnessing the phenomenon. The Northern Lights were seen in the Iceland sky between 12.50 am and 2.30 am on March 31. She ends her Instagram post by saying that she hopes to return to witness this ‘ethereal sight’ again. Meanwhile, actresses Saniya Iyyappan, Parvathy, Anna Ben, Shafna Nizam and Shilpa Bala have commented on Ahaana’s post.
What's special about Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights appear in the atmospheric region that is up to 18 – 23 degrees away from the Earth’s magnetic fields. The beautiful dancing ribbons of red, blue and green lights have captivated millions of tourists and skywatchers from around the globe. The Northern Lights are created when the earth’s magnetic field redirects the charged particles from the sun and they slam into the gas particles in the atmosphere. This phenomenon is called Aurora Borealis in the north pole and Aurora Australis in the south pole. The natural light display that usually lasts only a few minutes may sometimes last for hours too.
The best time to witness the Northern Lights in the cryosphere is when the winter ends and the spring begins. Tromso in Norway, the Swedish Lappland, Reykjavik in Iceland, Yukon in Canada, and Rovaniemi in the Finnish Lappland which is also known as the official birthplace of Santa Clause and Ilulissat in Greenland are some of the places where travellers reach to see the Northern Lights.
Svalbard, home to months-long days
Svalbard is the Norwegian archipelago where you can see unending rows of snow-covered mountains and experience the cold, grey atmosphere. You might be startled when a polar bear suddenly jumps in front of you. Here, the days may last for months or the sun may shy away from showing up. So, Northern Lights is a festival of magic that lights up the night sky.
The archipelago is situated between Norway and the North Pole in Northern Europe. The islands range from 74 degrees to 81 degrees north latitude and from 10 degrees to 35 degrees east longitude. Around 60% of this region that sprawls in 61,022 square kilometres is covered in ice and fjord.
Longyearbyen, the Russian settlement in Barentsburg, the research station in Ny – Alesund and the mining community in Sveagruva are some of the populated areas here. Interestingly, there aren’t any roads that connect these settlements; instead, snowmobiles, aeroplanes and boats are used for transportation.
The maximum temperature during summer ranges between 4 and 6 six degrees while it plummets to minus sixteen to minus twelve degrees in winter. Svalbard which is a major tourist destination comes under the administration of the Norwegian government.
The dance of the ice
Svalbard region experiences a change of seasons although not as vibrant as the regions close to the Equator. The season of the midnight sun which is also called the polar day is from May to September. This is the time when the fjords and glaciers gleam as they reflect the bright sun rays. Lots of migratory birds visit this region during this time. Trekking trips are arranged for travellers in the mountain ranges where the ice has melted.
The sun begins to bid adieu by October and the night sky gets ready to embrace the Northern Lights until February. The darker months are known as polar nights. Meanwhile, the population in Longyearbyen, residing in the Northern end of the world spend these months arranging community gatherings and festivals. People gather at pubs, restaurants and exhibition venues to celebrate the polar nights.
The sun rises again during the ‘sunny winter’ season from March to May. The clear blue sky and the snow-covered mountains offer the perfect background to welcome back the sun. Meanwhile, the sun's rays turn the blue sky into pink which the people in the locality call the ‘Blue Lights’. This is the time when outdoor activities are mostly planned for the tourists.
Adventure haven
Lots of adventure activities are arranged here. Organised tours are conducted for the tourists to see around Svalbard and to experience the life of the people there. Besides, tourists could also try their hands in skiing, kayaking, dog sledging, snowmobile, boating, biking, brewery visits safari tours and trekking through ice fields that last for days.
Polar bears
Polar bears are often spotted in Svalbard. As per the latest data, there are around 3000 polar bears in this region. It must be bemusing to know that it is almost as same as the population here. The Kong Karls Land in Svalbard is one of the places where most polar bears are born.
How to reach
Norwegian and SAS airline companies operate services to the airport in Svalbard. International travellers must reach Norway before boarding a domestic flight to Svalbard. As this area is outside the Schengen region, tourists who are visiting Europe must secure a permit before entering here.
