Our northern lights display in Tromsø was just the appetizer for the main course in Alta on the evening of Friday, 13 October 2023!
I wasn’t able to take an excursion out into the countryside this evening, so I scouted the container yard and airport perimeter near the ship to try to find a place with as few streetlights as possible. When I checked the forecast at 9:30 pm, I saw that an “interplanetary storm” was underway. Time to run out and get to work! I was in place by 10 pm.
As soon as my eyes adapted to the dark, I saw auroras forming to the northeast. They quickly developed into a multi-colored curtain that shimmered and steadily grew in height and length.
The curtain continued to dance, and the colors were more intense than any I’d seen before.
The sky toward the southwest also began to glow. Soon the light stretched from horizon to horizon. It was still most intense to the northeast, but now things were starting to get interesting toward the zenith.
I craned my neck backward and stared at the zenith. A “corona” (crown) was quickly emerging. This is one of the most coveted sights for aurora chasers. A corona is extremely energetic and colorful, and swirls quickly.
I was completely taken aback by the intensity of the colors and motion of the corona. I couldn’t capture the motion on camera, and I didn’t really want to waste time trying. I was spellbound. The swirling had a very definite three-dimensional motion, almost like the development of a tornado funnel cloud, but written in light and color. I had never seen anything like this. I understood completely now the legends of the northernmost peoples, who feared that auroras could snatch you off the Earth. It truly did give the impression that the sky could reach down and grab me at any moment.
Within a minute or so, the corona broadened and its intensity subsided. After a few more minutes, I had the impression that I was looking up into a curtain from below.
The lights continued to swirl around and change in intensity from second to second. Patches of the sky would suddenly brighten and fade. I could see people lining the balconies of the Silver Dawn, cheering at the display.
My alarm watch went off. It was 11:15 pm, and all-aboard time was 11:30! I disassembled my tripod and dashed over to the ship. They were already taking down the gangway to Deck 5. I popped into the door on Deck 3, and a security person said, “The last person is on board.” Whew.
What an unforgettable evening. This ranks among the most amazing experiences of my life. I’m elated that so many guests were able to see the auroras this time — it’s what they paid to see, after all!