W anderlust
Northern Lights
SPRENGISANDUR, ICELAND
Norse mythology said it was a bridge of
fire built by the gods to cross the sky.
Some Inuit tribes believed the spirits of
their ancestors could be seen dancing
in the flickering lights, and drawings of
the spectacle have been found in cave
paintings dating back 30 000 years.
To this day the Northern Lights, or
aurora borealis, continue to dazzle
all who set eyes upon this natural
phenomenon, even if it is now more
readily explained by science.
The lights are in fact caused by storms
on the sun’s surface that send charged
solar particles hurtling across space.
When these charged particles come into
contact with atoms in Earth’s gaseous
atmosphere, they stimulate electrons in
the atoms, causing them to light up. The
process has been compared to a neon
sign, where electricity is used to charge
atoms in a gas-filled bulb, creating the
brilliant colours we see.
The phenomenon occurs in both the
northern and southern hemispheres
around the magnetic poles, but the
Northern Lights have become much
more famous than their southern
counterpart thanks to charming
towns like Tromsø in Norway and the
Sprengisandur plateau in Iceland, which
allow you to experience the magical light
show in far more hospitable terrain.
GO HERE WITH SURE TRAVEL:
Sure Travel offers a number of packages
to see the Northern Lights and explore
the wonderland around Tromsø in
Norway, or natural splendour of Iceland.
Contact your Sure Travel consultant to
start planning your trip or visit:
www.suretravel.co.za / call 0861 47 48 49.
06 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE