Last week while settling into yet another evening of lentil curry andTwin Peaks (I know, my life is pretty exciting these days) I got a text from a friend saying that Dan and I had to go outside – the Northern Lights were out!
While I had seen hints of the Northern Lights before – the sort where I would be all “See that over there, is that the Northern Lights? I thinks so! Or… is it just pollution?” – finally getting to see a proper light show in Trondheim was pretty exciting stuff.
Dan and I ran downstairs planning to head to a nearby park on a hill overlooking Trondheim, but as soon as we stepped out onto our porch and looked up we both stopped dead in our tracks.
It turns out these Northern Lights were bringing quite a few surprises with them!
The Northern Lights are so bright
Dan and I had actually just been arguing over whether or not we’d be able to see the lights from the city center. When Van from Snow in Tromsø mentioned that she could see them from her apartment I excitedly told Dan that we would be able to too, but he thought not.
Well, he was wrong! And now I realize that this may have just all been his attempt to get me to go ahead and buy a bike already. I’ll get to it eventually, I swear!
Even from our well-lit porch in the city center we could see the lights brightly swirling above us. I ran back upstairs to get my camera but didn’t bother bringing a tripod, so I’m sorry for the super blurry photos – apparently leaning back and balancing a camera on your face doesn’t steady it very much. I can’t wait to take proper photos someday, but for now this is all I have:
Our apartment is the one on the left with all the lights left on, whoops!
Seeing how bright the Northern Lights appeared from central Trondheim, I can’t imagine what it’s like to watch them in the countryside. Like, I might just take my tent now and camp out in the mountains until it gets too cold, just so I don’t miss them.
The Northern Lights cover the whole sky
Somehow I had always assumed that you could only ever see the lights in the northern part of the sky – which now that I think about it doesn’t really make any sense. I had expected to just see a glow in the distance, but that wasn’t the case at all!
They move fast!
Another embarrassing confession here: because most of my Northern Lights knowledge came from photos, I didn’t realize that they’re constantly moving until a friend here said something how magical it is to watch the lights dance across the sky. I nodded along knowingly since I don’t have many friends here and need to play it cool, but inside my head I was like “wait, whaaaat?!”
Not only do the Northern Lights move, but they move really quickly! Apparently this was a particularly impressive show, and in fact they were even visible as far south as the U.K., but I couldn’t believe how quickly the stripes of light zipped across the sky. It was like watching a Disney light show, except it was nature doing all the work.
Often the Northern Lights only appear green, but this time there were bright stripes of pink as well, which made them even more beautiful.
Watching them is an emotional experience
In this post I half joked about how travel is like a drug, and someone commented saying that at least she didn’t feel like she was constantly chasing a high. The comment made me think, because in a way I’m worried that I am chasing a high. I mean, I’m almost always incredibly (possibly overly) enthusiastic about places, but at the same time, I’m afraid I’m becoming harder to impress. Like, “Sure your lake is impressive, but Lake Ohrid is even better!” Ugh, who wants to be that person?
But the Northern Lights gave me ALL the feelings and had me welling up with tears in no time. Even watching them in the middle of a city had me utterly overwhelmed by the power of nature and enormity of our universe. And it wasn’t just me – I think all of Trondheim put down their smart phones and left their television sets to come outside to watch the lights that night.
The Northern Lights seemed so magical even though I know the science behind them, so I kept thinking how utterly insane they must have seemed to people before they understood them. I mean, it’s no wonder people have always believed in spirits and supernatural deities!
I can’t wait to see them again – I think they’ll look even more spectacular against a snowy landscape!
P.S. If you’re thinking of making a trip to Trondheim, I’ve put together a guide for the best Trondheim hotels for any budget. And of course let me know if you come up here!
Have you seen the Northern Lights? Did they surprise you?
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Rachel says
I did see them last week in England, and it was incredible! But I couldn’t see them with the naked eye unfortunately. I heard about it on Facebook and had to wait for my fella to get back from the cinema. It was a quick grab of cameras and warm clothes and we headed up to a rural high spot. Amazingly they appeared on my camera (when I set it for a longish exposure). I set my camera (balanced on my bag, no tripod either!) to do a short timelapse and that’s when I saw they were dancing! How incredible!
I had seen them only once before, from an aeroplace – which was something else entirely (that travel high, uhuh, that’s it!!!) flying over Greenland on a night flight from Vancouver. Green ribbons, streaming over the top of the plane.
It was pretty cool to see it in England though!
Silvia says
Oh wow, I probably wouldn’t have thought to take photos if I couldn’t see them with the naked eye, that’s so smart! Um, seeing them from an airplane seems like the most magical thing ever! I LOVE flying over Greenland – on my last flight back to the U.S. we had clear weather over Greenland and it was so gorgeous.
becky hutner says
I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights 3 times in Alaska a few years ago & they definitely made me emotional!! I remember standing shin deep in snow, trying to call my husband in LA & describe what I was seeing b.c. I just couldn’t hoard it to myself. I’m so impressed with your non-stabilized photos!! Even with my tripod, I rarely got a usable shot. Here’s to many more light-filled nights for you!
Silvia says
Haha that’s exactly how I felt about seeing the Northern Lights – I just had to share. I had no intention of sharing my photos with anyone, much less writing a blog post about it, but I was just soooo excited about it!
Isabel says
I teared up with this post regardless. Thanks for sharing your experience. I love how travel makes us more humble and human. This post is beautiful!
Silvia says
It really does – the Northern Lights were such a good reminder of that.
Van (@snowintromso) says
Congrats! It’s so cool that you saw them in Trondheim!! That was last week, wasn’t it? We saw them in Lofoten that night and that was the first time I’ve seen them in purple! It was amazing and even Norwegians (who usually are pretty indifferent when it comes to the lights as they’ve seen them a thousand times before) said that they were unusually strong and were impressed! It was so cool!! 🙂
Silvia says
Yes, last week! They most have been amazing in Lofoten! I was also so surprised that everyone came outside for the lights because I thought they would seem like no big deal for people here, but I guess it was a really impressive show – and the first one of the season here. So cool!
Joella says
I honestly had no idea about any of this (apart from the Northern Lights themselves- I had heard of them haha!). I didn’t know they danced across the sky like that. What a cool experience!
Silvia says
Ahh I’m glad I’m not the only one then! I was worried that everyone would read this and think I’m a total idiot, haha.
Kaelene @Unlocking Kiki says
I just love the Northern Lights, I will never get over how amazing they are every time I see them!
Silvia says
I love that they never stop being magical, that’s so cool 🙂
Andrea @ Green and Turquoise says
I’ve been dying to see the Northern Lights since I can remember. Hopefully I get a chance eventually!
And thanks for sharing, I didn’t know any of these things. Great post!
Silvia says
You’ll have to come and visit Norway! And I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who didn’t know these things, haha.
Mary B says
Every time I booked a flight from Portland to Europe I’d request a window seat, in hopes I’d see them as we arced over Northern Canada and Greenland! I never had any luck, though 🙁 Now that I know that they dance (news to me, too!), I think I just need to plan a trip to Norway or Alaska and see them for real. It sounds magical.
Silvia says
Oooh that’s so smart to keep an eye out for them on flights! It sounds like you really need to come to Norway though 🙂
Amanda says
They’re so incredible, aren’t they?? I saw them for the first (and only) time 2.5 years ago, and it still gives me goosebumps to think about them dancing across the sky.
I have a feeling you’ll get plenty more shows in Trondheim!!
Silvia says
I love how experiences can continue to move us years later – I still get goosebumps when I think of the Pamir Highway!
Corinne says
I agree…watching the Northern Lights is an emotional experience. When we lived in Alaska we always looked forward to being able to see them.
Silvia says
I bet you had a lot of chances to see them in Alaska! I hope I will see them many more times here 🙂
Matilda says
So beautiful! I’m a little jealous of all you lucky people that got to see the Northern Lights multiple times:)
Silvia says
I think that means you have to make a trip to Norway soon 🙂
Estrella says
Gorgeous! I really want to see the Northern Lights one day, glad they seem to live up to the hype. I had no idea they moved either, but I guess that adds to their magic.
Silvia says
They way surpassed their hype in my opinion – I was so surprised to find myself so emotional while watching them!
Renate @ Renate's Travels says
Oh, you got to see them! How cool!! And I’m amazed you got such good photos without even using a tripod! Photographing the northern lights can be really tricky.
Since I moved up to Kirkenes I’ve been able to see the aurora pretty much every night, and it’s always so magical. 😀
Silvia says
Ahh I’m so jealous that you get to see them all the time now! I’m also so curious about life in Kirkenes – I keep checking your blog to see if you’ve written about it, haha. Dan still really wants to move up north, so I think we’ll be there eventually, if not next year then the year after!
Tim Hirtle says
I once took a trip to Whitehorse (northern Canada) specifically to watch the northern lights. It was -40 outside but worth every freezing moment. I was also struck by how fast they moved. And at how hard they are to photograph; nice job!
Silvia says
I’m so eager to see them again and try to photograph them with a tripod! -40 is quite extreme, but now that I’ve seen the Northern Lights I can understand that it was worth it!
Lavi says
Seeing the Northern Lights is #1 on my bucket list! I believe you that it was an emotional experience. I love when that happens. It just makes you feel appreciative of the forces of nature. Now that I’ve seen them through your eyes, I really need to do this myself!
Silvia says
I had read so much about the Northern Lights before seeing them, but still was not at all prepared for how amazing they were in person. You need to come and see them!
Meghan says
Blurry or not, your photos are fantastic and the greens are incredibly vivid! Funny story about the only time I saw them – I was walking out to the hot tub in back of the guesthouse in Iceland when someone said, “Look!” At which point I missed three stairs and landed on my butt, but not before spraining both ankles. After ten minutes of sitting on the concrete in my bathing suit in 2 degree temperatures I finally was able to get up but I just kept crying from the sheer beauty of the lights. The movement and the way they dance (which is such a perfect word for it) across the sky is something I’ll never forget!
Silvia says
Oh no, what a crazy story! Haha I love that you were crying over the beauty of the lights, not the pain in your ankles. Though after seeing the lights myself now, I can totally believe it!
CavaforLunch says
The Northern Lights are such an amazing experience! We actually had them in Glasgow a few nights ago, but SOMEONE was heading home from the pub and was too bloody drunk to notice (I mean, how is that even possible?! #TheShame)
Silvia says
Haha oh no! Everyone was standing outside on my street watching them and someone walked by and apparently didn’t notice until someone told him to look up. He was very surprised, haha.
Justine says
Um, nothing cool ever happens outside of my apartment. And you get to see the Northern Lights?! There is so much jealously going on on my end right now. What an incredible experience!! It’s a good thing your friends texted you to let you know. Can you imagine if you would have been sitting in your house and missed it? That totally would have happened to me…
Silvia says
Haha cool things very rarely happen to me these days. Also though, I’m pretty sure I had already missed the lights a few times – once in late August I saw photos of them on someone’s Facebook page from Trondheim and was like whaaaat? I thought they wouldn’t start appearing until fall!
Victoria@ The British Berliner says
Amazing beautiful stuff! The pictures of the Northern Lights make me feel as if I were actually there and when I see the magnificence of nature it sometimes makes me feel like shedding a tear or two. Or is it just me!
Gorgeous!
Silvia says
Right? Those lights turned me into a weepy mess haha
Leah says
Amazing!! I can’t believe you still got such great photos without a tripod. I’m so impressed! I know I would be emotional seeing this in person. They’ve slowly crept their way to the tip top of my bucket list lately and I’m determined to see them sooner than later! I just read that they may be dimmer after this winter as well, so I almost feel like it’s now or…not for 11 years!
Silvia says
I read that too! Sooo I guess that means you need to come and visit, like now 🙂
Mar says
We lived in Alaska for 3 years, and during the winter months, they made an appearance quite frequently despite living in the city. Every single time I saw them I was just as excited as the first. It is definitely a unique experience.
Silvia says
I love that it continued to be exciting! There really is something so magical about the Northern Lights.
Ahmer says
Hey Silvia,
Are there NL in trondheim in March? Me and my gf are planning a visit there from Bergen. Or do you suggest any other place to see NL?
Kind Regards,
Ahmer.
Svitlana says
hey!!! so we are planning to go to Lofoten Islands next year and I would really love to see the NL..still i can’t understand what is the best time to see them? is there a chance to see them in the end of August or no? what about September? we still don’t know exactly when we’ll go, but not later than October..
Silvia says
Late September is the perfect time to go because the aurora is strong but the weather hasn’t gotten too bad yet, and the nights are long enough. August can still be too light.
Judith Chris says
What an amazing experience that must’ve been! I’m going to travel to Trondheim in late December, my first solo trip! I really hope I get lucky and see the northern lights. Seeing from this post that they’re sometimes that visible in the middle of the city gives me hope. I’m also visiting Oslo in that week. Very exciting!
Jules says
Lucky you, to see them more often in your own town 💗 Love your blog and recommend it often! Ha det! Jules @scandinordicdotcom