Norway ｜ Aurora · Dance of the Night

Transiting from Helsinki, Finland via Oslo, my friend and I finally landed in Tromso, which is called the “Gate of the Arctic”. Winter in Norway is quiet in the thick snow and dim long nights. Only two or three hours a day the sky will appear weak, the sun will not rise to the horizon at all, and the whole world will sink again before it is fully lit In the dark, this is the polar night in the Arctic Circle, a wonderful experience never before. Two o'clock in the afternoon, which should have been the strongest light of the day, we stood by the harbor and waited for the blue light after sunset. The first minute was like the same ink painting, and then one minute turned into a yellow-blue staggered watercolor. This is the magic of light.

Tromso is a small harbour town in northern Norway. The population here is only 60,000. The towns are located on both sides of the harbor and connected by a bridge in the middle. The triangular church at the other end of the bridge is Tromsdalen Kirke), is one of the most distinctive buildings here. Tromso was bleak in winter, as was the port, and a boat stopped and left in a hurry. That night was the first time I saw the aurora in my life. When it was light, it was like a cloud blown by the wind. The naked eye didn't look color. When it is strong, it is like a green yarn, dancing with an elusive rhythm, changing various forms. This night is just the beginning.

Prediction of the intensity of aurora is generally divided into 9 levels, which are generally invisible to the naked eye below level 3. Green light can be seen by the naked eye at level 3-5, and colored aurora can be seen above level 5. That night in Tromso, the intensity of the aurora was about 3-4, which was not great, but the whole person was occupied by the first excitement. The feeling of excitement is still remembered to this day.

In the few bright hours we walked in this small town, warm yellow light passed through the clear air and merged with the blue sky, giving Tromso a kind of heartiness , Quiet beauty. The reflection on the water adds a stillness.

A passer-by left a playful smile in the snow. The temperature here is below 0 ° C for five months of the year, and it has been snowing for nearly half a year. Winter should be the peak season here, and tourists from all over the world gather here to watch the Aurora, but even so, no crowds can be seen on the street. The Lutheran Cathedral in the centre of the town is a wooden church, built in 1861, and it is the northernmost church of its kind in the world. In Tromso, there are many such "northmost". The souvenir shops on the street are still worth visiting, and all kinds of handicrafts made of reindeer skin, antlers, and postcards of Aurora are worthy of being included. From Tromso, our destination is Tromso-Sommarøy, which is 60 km from Tromso. Compared to the city, the terrain here is more open, there is almost no light pollution, and it is more suitable for watching Aurora. Not far from the city, we were attracted by the white snow and ice world here. Trees, colorful wooden houses, ruts and footprints on the snow, you can easily paint. The difficulties and hardships of any self-driving journey will be diluted by the scenery along the way, which is why I love self-driving. Passing by an unknown harbor, attracted by the white houses in front of the bay, he turned around. Blue and white draw a paradise in snow and ice. Looking across, at the foot of the silent snow mountain, the red and yellow spots turned out to be a wooden house. Wherever he looked, he was covered with snow. There are very few cars and people on the road, and in many cases, only ourselves. The light faded quickly, and the snow-capped mountains and fields under the twilight seemed more quiet. Occasionally, when I saw the yellow light from the roadside house, I felt very kind and warm. The night blue slowly eroded the white ground. A car flashed through the camera, leaving only the lines drawn by the red taillights. This scenery is so deep, but also with a hint of secret Finally, at night, we were close to our destination. In fact, it was too early, only four o'clock in the afternoon. After dinner and rest, it is ready to go. This is a good day with almost no clouds, and it is especially suitable for watching Aurora. At about 7 o'clock in the evening, I glanced at the website of the Aurora Forecast, the index skyrocketed, and the two immediately drove out. There are no buildings except for a few hotels, so there is very little light pollution. Not far away is a wild place with black lights. The road is not complicated, and even the navigation is not open, follow the eyes and feel directly. And the Aurora really broke out in such a peaceful night. This night's Aurora is clearly visible, it is constantly changing, dancing, and beautiful! At the edge of the green aurora, purple aurora began to appear, more gorgeous. The magic of the aurora lies in its transformation. There are no two identical auroras, so each photo left in the camera is also different. At the moment the shutter is pressed, no one can predict how it will end up on the negative. So I took one after another and refused to stop. Soon after turning to an open space by the sea, a lifelong unforgettable aurora feast fell unguarded. The whole sky seemed to be burning, it was a green flame, it was Aurora's green dance dress! That night's aurora lasted for a long time, until the two people were exhausted, and left unconsciously. I drove under the sky where the aurora fluttered, which was an impression I would never experience in a bustling city.