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SYFY WIRE Bad Astronomy

January's aurorae from way far north

By Phil Plait
BadAstronomyHero

Troms, Norway is pretty far north -- at a latitude of 70°, it's above the Arctic Circle, and in January the Sun never rises. That might sound forbidding, but this video by Ville Kröger of the aurorae taken in January during the big solar storms might change your mind:


What breathtaking scenery! The mountains look wonderful, and I imagine it's a lovely place to visit... in the spring, or in the winter to see the northern lights. Funny -- it gets colder here in Boulder on average than it does there. Latitude isn't everything; sea currents make a big difference as well.

But of course, we don't get the light show they do. Someday I'll get to see one of these. Sigh.


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