Off to the Northern Sky

 

Something about a phenomenal. Why we travel? That is a very personal question. One for the travel to only truly know. Ah, let's just say there were things in Iceland that I needed to experience for myself only in winter or when there's not 20+ hours of daylight. The aura borealis or the northern lights is one of those phenomenals I went on a chase for them. We have been having an increase in solar flares as a result of coronal mass ejections from the sun, our largest and brightest star in the Milky Way Galaxy, so the chances of seeing such a result in the night sky were exceptional. The farther north your go towards to north pole the better your chances are. The colors we see, blue, green, purple, red, and brown are a result of the gas that gets happens when the sun hits the Earth's own magnetic field in the atmosphere. Vibrant colors they are. Some believe in a bad omen where as others believe in good luck, it's all up to you to interpret your own meaning. Clear dark nights are the best way to see them. I had the pleasure of catching a glimpse of them in front of the Harpa in Reykjavik before I departed for a tour with Reykjavik Excursions. The location of my viewing pleasure was Þingvellir National Park, home to the first parliament in Iceland and the place where you are able to be on both the North American and European tectonic plates. It is said that you can walk between both tectonic plates or snorkel through them. Thanks to Reykjavik Excursions, National Parks at Night for photography tips, the few photographer friends that I reached out to, and Aurora Reykjavik for the tips in a beautiful museum to prepare me for my experience.