Every year the magical and mystical Northern Lights or the Aurora Borealis as they are also called, will dance across the northern skies between the fall equinox and the spring equinox (Sept. 21 - March 21st). They are most frequently seen in late autumn and late winter/early spring.

The northern lights are always unique. You may see three green bands across the night sky or they may be seen as flickering curtains or rolling smoke. The color palette is a luminous green, many times with a hint of pink along the edge, and occasionally with a deep violet center. Whatever form they take, they are spectacular!

The cause of the Northern Lights is just as spectacular. The sun is the force that lies behind the creation of the auroras. Huge quantities of particles are thrown out of the sun and into deep space during solar explosions and flares. When these particles meet the Earth's magnetic shield, they are drawn towards a circle around the magnetic North Pole. Here they interact with the upper layers of the atmosphere and are released as energy or the Northern Lights. At approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) in the sky they are a sight to behold.

The predictability of when they will be visible is quite uncertain though and you are at Nature's mercy. In order to observe them the best you should avoid nights when there is a full moon or in places that are well lit. One of the best places to see them is above the arctic circle in Northern Norway.

One thing is for certain though that whenever and wherever you see them they will be sure to amaze you with their brilliance and beauty in a show that only nature could put on!