The Northern Lights or Aurora is one of the rarest and most beautiful natural phenomena in the world. Most often you can see it in the far north. But it’s not necessary at all to be a polar explorer to enjoy this beauty.
There is a village Khatanga in the Krasnoyarsk Territory , which you can reach without a problem, and under suitable conditions you will discover a miracle of nature - the Northern Lights.
What is the Northern Lights?
When the gases in the atmosphere collide with charged solar particles, the upper sky begins to glow, this glow is called the Northern Lights or Aurora. The color of the phenomenon depends on which gas the solar particles collide with.
In simple words, the Sun throws millions of tons of particles into space, in 2–5 days they reach the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, where nitrogen and oxygen are so happy to meet that they glow from excitement.
The Lights called Northern because they are most often observed in the northern hemisphere. Ideal places for Northern Lights: Greenland, Iceland, Alaska, Canada, Russia. In Russia, one of the best places for territorial availability and periodicity of the phenomenon is Khatanga village in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Khatanga - the heart of Taimyr
Khatanga village is located on the Taimyr Peninsula and is one of the most northern towns of Russia. The location of the settlement makes it a great place to observe the Northern Lights.
Experts say that in the town Khatanga Aurora is more common than anywhere else in Russia. For example, more often than in Murmansk, a city popular among "hunters" for the Northern Lights.
INTERESTING FACTS: Khatanga is located next to the meteorite crater Popigay, where in 2012 the world's largest deposit of impact diamonds was discovered. Crater Popigay divides fourth place in the world in size with the crater Manikuagan in Canada. The diameter of the crater is about one hundred kilometers, it is located in the north of Siberia, partly in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, partly in Yakutia.
Northern Lights hunters are photographers who travel around the world to make shots of this incredible phenomenon.
TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS MUST COINCIDE A NUMBER OF FACTORS:
LIGHTS SEASON
The ideal period in Khatanga is from December to January. At this time, the night lasts 18-20 hours.
THE BEST TIME
From 10 pm to 3 am
TRACK FLARES IN THE SUN
The emission of solar particles is the main condition for the occurrence of the Northern Lights. As soon as there was such an outburst, you can expect for the heavenly miracle within 2-5 days.
Watch for flares in the sun: Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
STAY AWAY FROM CITIES
Khatanga is a small town, there is little artificial light, so it’s enough to drive off a few kilometers (5-7 km) from it to enjoy the phenomenon in the best way.
What to take with you on the "hunt"
RELIABLE CAR
It is best to chase the Northern Lights on an SUV, since places far from the city are usually in the forest.
You must be confident in the serviceability of the car, because you do not want to stall in the middle of the forest at - 30 C .
STOCK OF GASOLINE
You might have to wait more than one hour and it is better to be with a full tank, and a pair of jerry cans. You are unlikely to stop the engine in such cold weather.
TEA & SANDWICHES
Hot tea will help to warm up during the shooting of the Northern Lights. Don't drink alcohol, it can only become worse. Well, sandwiches will be a delicacy for you. You will be very hungry after a long stay in the cold.
VERY WARM CLOTHES
It is logical of course, since you set off in the winter, where the summer temperature is -13. Still, let's clarify, you'll stand in the cold and shoot, enjoying the Northern Lights. It will be cold and very beautiful. For sure.
BATTERY PACKS
Take spare batteries for photographic equipment. Batteries quickly sit in the cold.
TRIPOD
To make the best quality photos you need a tripod.
GOOD CAMERA
Of course, you can get good photos with a smartphone, but still it is better to stock up on professional equipment, because you have done so much to see this miracle. So let the memory of it remain for life and be in excellent quality.
The “hunt” for the northern lights is not a simple event. It is necessary to choose the right time, place, to have a good equipment, but the result that the “hunter” will receive will make him/her forget about all the inconveniences that they had to face on the way to this miracle.
How to get to Khatanga
By plane, car, train, bus to Krasnoyarsk - By plane from Krasnoyarsk to Khatanga (The flight takes about 4 hours).
TYPES OF NORTHERN LIGHTS OR AURORA
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