The Aurora Zone Blog

Will it be dark all of the time?

Ali Mclean

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

How many times have we heard this said about Northern Scandinavia?

There is a perception that 24 hours of darkness falls north of the Arctic Circle for the entire winter. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Even in deepest December, when the sun doesn’t appear above the horizon for several weeks, there is what the locals call “blue time” or “kaamos”, an eerie yet magical grey/blue light that is neither night nor day.

Take somewhere like Muonio in Finnish Lapland. Muonio is a small village situated in North East Finnish Lapland and, according to people who know far more about these things than we do, the sun will disappear below the horizon on 10 December 2013 and reappear on 02 January 2014 (for 32 minutes).

So, if there’s no sun above the horizon they must have permanent night mustn't they?

Not so, “blue time” is like an extended early dawn and, even on the shortest day of the year, provides around four hours of decent light even as far north as Muonio (67°N). Additionally, the thick covering of snow that blankets absolutely everything, from forests, to frozen lakes and rivers reflects every bit of available light be it “Kaamos” or moonlight.

“Blue time” is like nothing you’ll ever experience here in the UK during our miserable winter months.

There’s precious decent daylight in this country in December and, compounded by wet and miserable rain or slush, we would far rather be enjoying the crisp, pristine snows that cover the glorious Lappish landscapes.

What would you rather be doing? Thumping the dashboard in frustration whilst stuck in another December traffic jam or completing a husky sled or snowmobile safari in the gathering darkness of a Polar night?

Read 3993 times Last modified on Friday, 26 January 2018

Get an expert opinion

The Aurora Zone was born from a desire to share Mother Nature’s greatest wonder with our clients. We’ve explored the destinations, researched the science, and fallen in love with the Scandinavian way of life. It’s our mission to pass this knowledge on to you, providing you with the very best chance of experiencing the magic for yourself on your Northern Lights holiday.

  • Specialist

    Aurora knowledge and experience

    Unique holidays, in the very best destinations

    Expert guides – exceptional local knowledge

    Advice and guidance every step of the way

  • Comprehensive

    We include more in our holidays than any other Aurora operator

    Price Comparison guarantee

    No ‘from’ prices, everything you see is included in the price

    No hidden extras

  • Independent

    Proudly Independent

    The original and still the only dedicated UK Northern Lights tour operator

    Personal, hands-on service

    Fair and sustainable work ethos

  • Trusted

    100% ATOL and ABTA protection

    Providing peace of mind

    Award-winning

    Responsible relationships

    Over 16 years’ experience