Aurora borealis is the Latin name for the magical waves of dancing colours that have captivated sky watchers for millennia. Historically, it has been given many meanings; spirits playing across the dome of the world, light reflecting from the armour of Viking Valkyries—the super natural shieldmaidens who guided warriors to Valhalla, or angry messages from the gods. The Sámi traditionally feared and respected them, as they represented the souls of the dead and could reach down and carry you away.

Today we know the lights are neither of those things, but in fact caused by electrically charged particles riding the solar wind. When they slam into the earth’s upper atmosphere, a reaction happens, and the aurora is created. Our planet’s magnetic field deflects the particles toward the poles where the sky turns fluorescent. The strong colours are influenced by altitude as well as the chemical composition of the earth’s atmosphere.

In 1619, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei came up with the term Aurora Borealis. He based it on the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.

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Northern Lights

In 1619, the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei came up with the term Aurora Borealis. He based it on the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and Greek god of the north wind, Boreas.