Go In Search Of The Northern Lights Of Old Aberdeen

"When I was a lad, a tiny wee lad,
My mother said to me,
‘Come see the Northern Lights my boy,
They’re bright as they can be!’
She called them the heavenly dancers,
Merry dancers in the sky,
I’ll never forget, that wonderful sight
They made the heavens bright!"

Have you seen on The Northern Lights are planning to go to se them soon? If so we would love to hear all about your experiences (perhaps with a photo or two). You can contact us via our contact page.

Gift Ideas

Northern Lights: The Science, Myth and Wonder of the Aurora Borealis
by Calvin Hall (Photographer), Daryl Pederson (Photographer)
Price: £10.31 (10% off list price)
A photographic book about the Northern Lights, with accompanying text, that will have you jumping on the next plane to Alaska!
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So goes the chorus of one of Scotland’s best loved songs, The Northern Lights Of Old Aberdeen.

The Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis to give them their scientific name, are spectacular light shows that take place when solar flares collide with the Earth’s magnetic field and ionosphere. Red, green, blue and violet colours light up the night sky over the Arctic in what is an incredible display of nature’s beauty.

The closer you are to the Arctic, the better chance you have of seeing the Northern Lights. And although they can occur at any time, perfect viewing conditions demand clear weather and a dark sky.

The Northern Lights are a regular feature of the night sky from the Autumn through to Spring in the north of Scotland where they are known as Fir Chlis which means Nimble Man in Scots Gaelic or Merry Dancers. The further north you can travel the better, not least because the Highlands are lightly populated and light pollution from towns and cities is not a problem.

You can’t go further north in the British Isles than to Dunnett Head. Here you can stay in John O’Groats Self Catering Cottage (telephone 01729 851 181) during the winter for £195 a week and £125 for a three day break.

The Hebrides, a group of islands off the north west coast of Scotland are another good place to enjoy a break and to maybe see the Northern Lights. The Atlantic winds ensure relatively clear skies on crisp winter nights, perfect for both star gazing and for seeing the Lights.

Over on the east coast, the Moray Firth is widely regarded as one of the best places in Britain to see the Northern Lights. The seaside town of Nairn is a great wee place to call home during your quest to see the Aurora.

As for Aberdeen itself, light pollution is a bigger problem today than it was when The Northern Lights Of Old Aberdeen was first sung, but the Granite City does have its own planetarium at Aberdeen College (telephone 01224 612 130) should the Lights prove elusive!



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