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Aurora Labs Culture History Northern Lights Vadsø

10 Reasons to Choose Vadsø as Your Next Arctic Destination

Have you been dreaming about visiting the Arctic? You know, that location where most – if not all – of your childhood winter fairy tales take place? Right now it is more accessible than ever for you to visit, and you have the chance to create your own stories from this fairyland! But the Arctic is huge – there is a ton of destinations to choose from!

In this article we’re going to talk about a charming, remote Arctic place, well off the beaten track, with a world of attractions just waiting to be discovered! I’m talking about Vadsø – a beautiful Arctic town in the Eastern Finnmark region of Northern Norway – a place where life follows the typical rhythm of the Great North! So why choose Vadsø as your next Arctic destination? Here are the top reasons:

1As already mentioned, it’s a remote place, well off the beaten track, and unless you come here because your family or friends recommended you to do so, you can be pretty sure that nobody among the people you know have previously been here! And despite the remoteness of Vadsø, it is actually pretty easy to arrive here by plane, by boat or even by car (see here how).

And not only that it’s easy to reach us – but no matter what transport means you choose, you’re in for a typical regional experience: the small Widerøe planes work like buses, with stops in-between, where you don’t need to get off the aircraft! Or, coming here by boat, means you will enjoy one of the most sought after Norwegian experiences – the Hurtigruten boat trips! And if you come by car, you will drive along one of Norway’s National Scenic Routes – the National Tourist Route of Varanger! And the cherry on the cake – any transport you choose, it is very probable that you’ll be doing it under the Northern Lights if you visit us in winter!

2Speaking about the Northern Lights – Vadsø is one of the best places on Earth to see them! I have written a whole article about why I think Vadsø is one of the best locations in the World for seeing the Aurora, about when it’s best to come …and why Vadsø is the only place on Earth where you can experience the Northern Lights even in summer!

Coloured Auroras in the Arctic Sky

3Vadsø is located in the beautiful region of Varanger – which is a historically and culturally rich region, as it lies at a Russian, Finnish, Sami and Norwegian crossroads, just like all of Lapland. You can enjoy here stories and visit places dedicated to the Vikings or to the Second World War. You can live the legends of the Sami people, who live close to nature and are actively involved in reindeer herding and who try to protect their fascinating traditions! Or you can hear stories about trolls and witches, as well as see with your own eyes remains as old as the Stone Age! Hint: take a look at Aurora Labs’ road trips!

4The climate in Vadsø is milder, as the European tail of the Gulf Stream protects the town of extreme winters, and you can enjoy Arctic activities in a much more weather-friendly environment! At the same time, don’t worry: the rough Arctic climate with extreme cold, is within just a few minutes of driving from here; so, if you’d like, you *can* get to know what that’s like, during a short road-trip towards the East or West of Vadsø!

A consequence of the warm ocean current that passes through the Varanger Fjord and Barents Sea, makes Vadsø a unique place, where two typical Nordic vegetation types meet: the boreal forest and the Arctic tundra. Again, in a matter of just a few minutes of driving, you can transit from dense birch forests to the vast tundra, where the trees finish (and no, there is no error in this sentence!)

5There are lots of activities to enjoy here, in any season: Northern Lights activities and safaris, snow mobile safaris, dog sledding activities, skiing, fishing, nature walks in all seasons, summer Aurora experiences, scientific activities and workshops, road trips, sightseeing, the Midnight Sun, photography… just to name a few!

As for the nature lovers, you will be amazed by sights of the Arctic tundra in both summer and winter, or by the vast, contrasting landscapes along the Varanger Fjord! Or, during the cold season, frozen rivers or the Arctic winter’s frost are a must-see! And of course, each season’s natural phenomena are a breathtaking and impressive experience: the Northern Lights or the Light Pillars in winter and the soothing Midnight Sun in summer!

6Vadsø is located on the 70°N parallel; and because of Earth’s tilt with respect to the Sun, this location benefits of a perfect yearly balance between the Polar Night and Polar Day: not too little and not too much at the same time, but enough for you to get to experience what this is like! During the Polar Day period, you can enjoy the beautiful Midnight Sun, which lights up the sky even during the night! As for the Polar Nights, when the Sun never rises for almost 2 months, you can enjoy the magnificent Polar Blue and beautifully coloured skies during the “daytime”, and the chance to maybe even see the rare daytime Aurora!

7Local cuisine! You can have a taste of the delicious king crab, or reindeer meat or fish! And speaking about fish – don’t hesitate to try lutefisk (which is fish with, err… poison!). If you’re here around Christmas, do taste Julebrus (which literally translates to “Christmas soda”). And don’t be afraid of the typical Norwegian brown cheese (“brunost”)! And for desert – eat “lefse” (any kind!) and I promise you’ll be right back at the shop to buy more! See a few examples of dishes (with a bit more details) by clicking here.

8You’ll almost surely encounter reindeer at least once during your stay here! You can spot them on the roads outside Vadsø, or even on the Vadsøya island, roaming free in the wilderness! They’re a beautiful sight anywhere and anytime, and are excellent models for your photos!

In addition, Vadsø, as like the whole region of Varanger is an awesome place for birdwatchers! Not only that it is a place where an astonishingly lot of bird species can be found, but it is one of the most accessible Arctic birdwatching destinations. Even if this region is well above the Arctic Circle, the winters here are milder than in other regions of the Arctic. This is the reason why some bird species, choose to come here from more northern latitudes for overwintering. (More details here, section “Birdwatching”.)

9For those of you who seek also a bit of “urban” experiences, know that we do have a cinema, a few shops, restaurants, bars and cafés, you can find hairdressers and antique stores… we even have a music festival each summer! Our town may be small, but it offers a big range of possibilities for everyone!

And now the bonus reason! Recall everything you read up to this point: from typical transportation to get here, Northern Lights, historically and culturally rich location, weather-friendly climate with two typical Arctic vegetation zones, Arctic activities, Arctic phenomena, Arctic fauna… And now think that you get to enjoy all of this away from mass tourism! With Aurora Labs you will carry out all the activities in private, so that you’ll have a chance to live the typical Arctic life in your own rhythm. Immerse yourself for a few days into the sea of tranquility, silence and calmness that surrounds this beautiful region and live life at the local rhythm!

Categories
Nature Northern Lights Vadsø Weather

See the Northern Lights This Winter

Wondering why an article about the Northern Lights? Especially now that, where you are probably reading this article, it’s the middle of summer, with hot temperatures, just right to go for a swim! However – especially if you have been dreaming about seeing the beautiful Aurora – now it’s about time to plan your trip for the coming winter… to the Great North! But where? When? How long? Where is the best place on Earth to see the Northern Lights? I’ll try answering these questions in this article, so keep on reading!

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and their physical occurrence cannot be guaranteed 100% in a certain place at a certain time. However, with a bit of planning and with the right knowledge, the chances of seeing the Aurora can be increased considerably! We will not discuss here what the Aurora is, I will just tell you what you need to take into account when planning your Northern Lights winter holiday.

Where is the best place on Earth to see the Northern Lights?

The short answer: anywhere where Auroras occur easily, even when the conditions necessary for Auroras to occur, are at a minimum. This place is in fact a “belt”, which encircles Earth’s magnetic North Pole, known as the Kp=0 Auroral Oval. Kp is a measurement, used for quantifying the necessary conditions for Auroras to occur. When Kp is 0, it means that there is very little activity. But, despite this, on this “belt”, Auroras do occur rather easy, and are perfectly visible. This Kp=0 Auroral Oval has a very precise location and people traveling to places on this belt have great chances to see the magnificent dancing lights.

Incidentally, this Kp=0 Auroral Oval passes right through Vadsø in Norway, where Aurora Labs is located! This is thus a great place to choose as destination, if you’d like to have a good chance of seeing the Aurora! This is one of the main reasons why I chose Vadsø as the location where to create Aurora Labs! But there are many other reasons – continue to read to find them out!

Weather

Another important point to consider is weather. Clouds can cover the sky entirely, hiding the magical Lights! So you will need a clear sky in order to see the overwhelming Light display. Weather is completely unpredictable, especially when you probably buy your ticket to the Arctic months before your actual travel date.

So, when your travel date comes, you will have to accept the weather “as is”. Here in Vadsø the weather changes quite rapidly: if now you have a heavy, cloudy sky, in just a matter of minutes, you can have a sky clearing, which will actually let you see the Northern Lights, in all their beauty!

The best is to have someone who can predict, on the spot, what weather will be in the coming hour, and where and when a sky clearing might occur. I do just that, so don’t hesitate and book a Hunt the Aurora activity with me, right now! In addition, I interpret the Auroral forecasts as well, and maximize even more the chances of you seeing the beautiful Aurora.

In addition, why not combine seeing the Northern Lights with hearing them or learning about them? At Aurora Labs I do that as well! I even teach you how to predict weather on the spot, too, if you would like to forecast weather yourself!

Coldness

One more important thing about weather is coldness. The Arctic is well known for being a cold region! But can you handle all that coldness during your whole trip to the North? Vadsø is special concerning this point, as well! Being right on the coast of the Varanger Fjord, which opens in the Barents Sea, thus taking advantage of the warm ocean stream, Vadsø is actually warmer than many other places in the Arctic, and this even in the nearby region! Take a look at this temperature map (taken by myself on my phone, on a random date – 28 January 2020):

Due to the warm ocean stream, temperatures on the coast are warmer. So, when not hunting the Aurora, you can enjoy other activities easier, in milder temperatures, which makes them much more pleasant, especially if you’re not used to extreme cold.

You might argue now: yes, but warmer temperatures bring more clouds. That’s true, you have a point there. But just look how close Vadsø is to much colder areas! In a matter of minutes, we can get to a place where there are 20, or even more degrees less, and where clouds are probably less likely to be present! One more point for Vadsø there!

See and Do More

In addition, you would probably like to be able to do and see other stuff at your chosen destination, besides only spotting the Aurora! Vadsø does check this point on the list as well, as you can enjoy here lots of other Arctic activities (such as dog sledding or snowmobile trips), as well as visit extremely beautiful places, rich in history and culture, during fun road-trips! Just have a look on the Aurora Labs website and see for yourself!

…Or read this article on the blog and see the top reasons for choosing Vadsø as your next Arctic destination!

And the best if you do come to Vadsø: all of these places are well off the beaten track, far away from mass tourism! So you get to experience everything calmly, at the real Arctic rhythm and style!

If this does appeal to you, get in touch right now! I’ll be glad to help you plan and book your next trip here! And I’d be delighted to welcome you and help you discover this beautiful region!

When is the best time to experience the Aurora?

Experiencing the Aurora means, for most people, seeing it dance in the Arctic winter sky. To do this, of course, you need to come to the Arctic during the winter months, when the sky is dark. If you do choose Vadsø as your destination, you should then plan to come here between end of September and end of March. Anytime during this period, the sky is enough dark in order to permit the Northern Lights to be seen right overhead.

Northern Lights in Summer!

And because the Aurora occurs even in summer, I have found ways to experience the phenomenon even then! With me, you will be able to listen to the Northern Lights or even take a fun and informative workshop, where you can learn about this magnificent phenomenon. And the best part is that you can do these things anytime – even in summer (and now, you can even take the Aurora workshop online, anytime you’d like and from anywhere in the World!)

Listen to the Northern Lights
Listen to the Northern Lights with Aurora Labs
Categories
Aurora Labs Northern Lights Space weather

Aurora Labs’ New App

Meet Aurora Labs’ brand new Android app! Aurora Forecast brings you the forecasting of Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis right at your fingertips! In the app’s easy to use and light interface, forecasting the Northern Lights and checking the current space weather conditions have never been easier!

The new app is available on the Google Play store, for the moment on Android devices, and is completely free and contains no ads! And you can choose English or French for its interface!

Get it on Google Play

You think the Northern Lights season is over, now that the Midnight Sun is slowly taking over the night sky? Think again!😉 There are always Northern Lights here at Aurora Labs! The Aurora is there, up in the sky, even in summer – it’s just that you can’t see it because of the continuous sunlight! But you can hear it with me if you come here in Vadsø! So, my app is useful even in summer!

In addition, if you live in more southern latitudes (…or more northern latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere!), and nights are still dark, you might have a chance for a geomagnetic storm! And with our app you might be able to see if that happens! And who knows, you might see, even a glimpse of the Northern (or Southern) Lights!

So go ahead and give it a try! And if you need help in interpreting the info, head over to the Aurora Forecast page on the Aurora Labs website, for a quick introduction. Or, if you’d like to understand everything there is about the Aurora and space weather, why not take my Learn the Aurora Online workshop right from the comfort of your own home?

And if you have any suggestions for the app, drop me a line! I’ll try to update it as often and as best as I can 😊And don’t hesitate to rate it on Google Play and help it to become known!

Enjoy! 😊

Categories
Nature Northern Lights Universe Vadsø

Experiencing the Northern Lights in Summer

The 2019-2020 Winter season is coming to an end, as the Midnight Sun progressively makes its presence felt at high Arctic latitudes. That means that sunlight starts to illuminate these regions round the clock and makes the sighting of the Northern Lights difficult or even impossible.

To see the Northern Lights, you need a completely dark sky. During the Polar Day – which is now starting – the Sun shines 24 hours a day, which makes viewing the Northern Lights impossible. However, the Northern Lights are still there – it’s just that you can’t see them!

…But you can hear them! If you do visit me in Vadsø during the summertime, when the Sun is up in the sky even at midnight, you can try hearing the Aurora with me! Check out my original summer activity: Hear the Aurora!

Just come and try, and see for yourself how cool it is to listen to the Northern Lights! And the bonus – there are many other sounds of our Universe which you will hear as well, and we’ll try explaining them together!

Categories
Northern Lights Space weather Universe

Solar Minimums

This year is a solar minimum. What does that mean? Can we see the Northern Lights during a year of solar minimum, such as 2020?

Scientists have been monitoring our Sun’s activity since hundreds of years and have observed that it varies periodically. More exactly, the number of the visible sunspots on our star’s surface, increases then decreases periodically, during a period of 11 years. When this number is on the low side – that’s a solar minimum, and we are currently there in 2020. The next solar maximum is expected towards 2025-2026.

Sunspots are associated to high solar activity (solar flares, coronal mass ejections) – which is necessary for Auroras to form here on Earth. But solar activity can also be due to other phenomena, such as coronal holes, which can occur even at solar minimums, and do not depend on the number of sunspots!

So, to answer the last question is the introductory paragraph – “yes”, the Aurora can be seen during years of solar minimums, too! And very well even, as coronal holes can lead to powerful geomagnetic storms!

In addition, places located on the Kp=0 Auroral Oval, such as Vadsø, need a considerably little activity in order to display beautiful Auroras. So, here in our region, the Northern Lights are seen in amazing displays, even in solar minimum years.