As northern lights season for Natural Habitat Adventures gets underway in Churchill, this seems like the perfect time to break out some of the best photos and videos of aurora borealis. Enjoy these images from Churchill!
Aurora in the night sky at the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
Charged particles projected from the sun’s surface collide with gaseous particles in the earth’s atmosphere and develop into what we know as Aurora borealis. Color Variations result from the various types of gas particles colliding. Most commonly occurring colors are a pale yellowish-green. These hues are produced by oxygen molecules located nearly 60 miles above the earth. High-altitude oxygen, up to 200 miles above the earth’s surface, produce rare all-red auroras. Blue or purplish-red aurora are produced by Nitrogen particles colliding with particles from the sun.
Because the temperature above the sun’s surface is millions of degrees Celsius, explosive collisions between gas molecules constantly occur. As the sun rotates, free protons and electrons are ejected through the surrounding atmosphere. Solar winds feeding off the rotation blow towards Earth and these charged particles are deflected by the earth’s magnetic field. Since the earth’s atmosphere is weaker at the poles, particles enter and then collide with gas particles. Dancing lights are produced and have captivated our imaginations for centuries!
With the northern lights season drawing near, these two videos of aurora borealis offer a glimpse into the mystical lights that often appear in the heart of winter in Churchill. The second of the two videos is from Churchill and has some unique views capturing the feel of the landscape. Both videos highlight the affect of landscape merged into the footage. The difference between a video of the northern lights in the sky an one with interesting scenery incorporated into the foreground is profound. Whether trees, rocky ledges, houses or igloos, the video’s scenes are transformed when the scenes have more depth. Enjoy these two inspiring videos!
The aurora or northern lights season in Churchill, MB. On February first the first Natural Habitat group of travelers will head north to immerse themselves in some Arctic culture and hopefully experience the incredible magic in the sky. look for updates on all that’s going on up there over the months of February and March. It should be an exciting couple of months!
Incredible shot of musher hut with aurora above. Brad Josephs photo.
Swirling northern lights. Jeremy Pearson photo.
Northern lights in Churchill. Jeremy Pearson photo.
Aurora Borealis in Churchill, Manitoba. Photo Colby Brokvist
In Churchill, Manitoba fall is polar bear season and winter is aurora season. The rest of the year provides overlapping sights and wildlife encounters but those two seasons are pretty exclusive for those attractions. You can see northern lights in Churchill just about year-round though the most reliable time is the heart of winter.The Hudson Bay is frozen and therefore the moisture level in the air is low influencing cloud cover. Natural Habitat Adventures is gearing up for the aurora season that begins on January 31. This year promises to be the most amazing year so far with a record number of people taking the train or flying to Churchill for a glimpse of the magical lights.
FACT: There needs to be solar flares on the sun or solar wind for the aurora borealis to happen. When particles from the sun enter Earth’s atmosphere and collide violently with gas atoms various colors of “northern lights” appear.
Check out this link for aurora forecasts in the north:
Now that the polar bears have headed out onto the ice-pack of the Hudson Bay, here are some parting shots from this polar bear season by Natural Habitatguides. This was one of the best seasons in a long time with numerous sows and cubs, sparring males and Arctic fox galore. Many other various sightings of wildlife as well as some true Arctic weather made this a very memorable season. Up next…aurora borealis trips at the end of January and going through most of March. Can’t wait for the images of northern lights!
Two polar bears sparring in Churchill, Manitoba. Melissa Scott photo.
Aurora in the northern Churchill sky. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear resting in a snowbank. Colby Brokvist photo.
Polar bear sniffing around the polar rover. Brad Josephs photo.
Polar bear print in the snow. Karen Walker photo.
Polar bears grapple in the willows. Colby Brokvist photo.
