Friday, March 14, 2008

The Northern Lights


Tonight I went outside to catch some fresh air, I'd spent the majority of my day inside packing food for the expedition, and the fresh air was a great way to unwind. Looking up into the starry sky, a faint green ribbon, almost smoky in appearance began to unravel across the sky. Within seconds, the most beautiful Northern Lights I've ever seen burst into the atmosphere and unfurled in hues of green and purple. The green is common, but the purple is a rare treat. The lights are caused when Light from the sun enters the atmosphere at an angle that ionizes certain atoms in the upper atmosphere giving off the light that can range from soft and lazy, to a rapid fire kaleidoscope reminiscent of a lazer show from the 90's. When we are in Ellesmere Island, we won't be able to see the Northern lights, because there will be no night, and the sun will not set while we are are above the arctic circle. The lights were feared in ancient times by the Inuit, but now that it is understood that they do not bring harm, they serve only to inspire.

1 comment:

Elena said...

Your pictures looks amazing and wow…this looks like an amazing trip as well…hurry back and come home.