Rich as a sunset on the Norway coast, the sky, the islands, and the cliffs,
Or midnight’s silent glowing northern lights unreachable.
So wrote Walt Whitman in A Riddle Song, a poem about something that is ever-present yet too elusive to perceive. It’s a relatable theme for anyone who has wished to see the Northern Lights but never managed it.
Lately, the desire for that experience has been amplified by the improving quality of the cameras we carry in our pockets. Even the most inexperienced photographers can now hold a phone up to the sky and capture an impressive shot or video of the Northern Lights – and then post it online to the envy of all who weren’t there.
Enter the cruise line Hurtigruten, which offers a Northern Lights Promise on some of its Norwegian coastal voyages. If auroras are not spotted from the ship at some point during the journey, the promise entitles passengers to a second trip free of charge.
Hurtigruten improves its odds by taking would-be aurora viewers north of the Arctic Circle, where it’s all but certain that the Northern Lights will be active at some point over the course of an 11-day voyage. Weather remains a factor, but the more nights there are to observe, the better one’s chances. In the meantime, there is a dramatic landscape and communities to explore along the way, softly illuminated by a twilight sky that brightens for a few hours each day before settling back into the dark Arctic night.
Ivan Semeniuk/The Globe and Mail
I joined in for a three-night portion of the cruise starting in Tromso. More populous than Whitehorse, which is Canada’s largest city north of latitude 60, Tromso lies some 1,000 kilometres nearer to the North Pole and spends nearly two months each winter without sunlight. Yet winter temperatures there are typically milder than in Ottawa. This is down to the North Atlantic Current, an extension of the Gulf Stream, which warms northern Europe and keeps Norway’s convoluted coastline largely ice-free.
After a brief stop to visit Ishavskatedralen, Tromso‘s iconic Arctic cathedral, I was aboard Hurtigruten’s Midnatsol, and heading out to sea. The route we followed is the same that Hurtigruten ships have taken for more than a century, offering passenger and cargo services for communities up and down the coast.
There was no chance of an auroral encounter that night. It was snowing and a fierce wind was whipping up the Norwegian sea – a reminder that, despite our modern comforts, we were sailing on waters that even the most intrepid of Vikings would have avoided at this time of year.
Astronomer Tom Kerss, Hurtigruten’s Chief Aurora Chaser, takes in the view during an auroral display. The company’s Astronomy Voyage includes talks and expert guidance on how to observe and photograph the northern lights.Tom Kerss/Hurtgiruten Cruise Line
Instead it was time for some Northern Lights prep work, starting with a talk from astronomer and author Tom Kerss, who is Hurtigruten’s chief aurora chaser. With Kerss as our guide, we explore humanity’s long-standing fascination with the Northern Lights. It’s an allure that some have suggested dates back tens of thousands of years, based on the aurora-like squiggles found in some prehistoric cave art.
Canadians may consider the aurora borealis a part of their birthright but the first scientific study of the phenomenon was conducted by Norwegian physicist and inventor Kristian Birkeland. Over the course of the voyage, the ship’s route takes us within 50 kilometres of Mount Haldde, where Birkeland first set up a research station to study the Northern Lights in 1899, working for many years through the harsh Arctic winters.
Birkeland’s early explorations have long since evolved into a deeper understanding of auroras. We now understand they are fundamentally linked to electrically charged particles streaming off the sun which buffet our planet, triggering a cascade of effects that energize the upper atmosphere.
Ørjan Bertelsen, Trym Ivar Bergsmo/Hurtgiruten Cruise Line
When solar storms are raging, the Northern Lights can become a brilliant and rapidly changing light show, reaching far to the south of where they are normally seen. The past year has seen a number of such events, as the sun approaches the next crest in its 11-year pattern of magnetic activity known as the sunspot cycle. The peak is expected to arrive later this year, with prime auroral viewing time extending into 2026.
On my second day we pass east of North Cape, Europe’s most northerly point, and we are now officially in the Barents Sea. That night, on the top deck of the ship we are treated to a hint of green in the sky between breaks in the clouds – the telltale glow of ionized atomic oxygen. It’s a sign that the Northern Lights are active but heavy clouds have intervened. I have one night to go and I am hoping the weather improves. One advantage of a moving observation platform is that it puts you in a different location each night with at least a chance for something better than the night before.
That day we reached Kirkenes, less than 10 kilometres from the Russian border. We dine on Alaskan king crab legs, an invasive species in this part of the world that Norway has turned into a commercial fishery.
During an astronomy voyage with Hurtigruten, it’s possible to be alerted through the night to avoid missing the Northern Lights. But tonight there’s no need; it’s my last night and I am on deck, braving the chill wind and eager to see what the clearing skies have in store for me.
Ivan Semeniuk used his cell phone to capture this view of the aurora borealis from the deck of the Midnatsol during a relatively modest display with a full moon in the sky.Ivan Semeniuk/The Globe and Mail
Sure enough, around 1 a.m., the first streaks and winding arcs begin to appear. The display is typical for a quiet night under Earth’s auroral zone – not the dazzling explosion of colour that can sometimes be seen during a geomagnetic storm in full swing. It means my phone is better than my eye at capturing the aurora’s emerald-green hue. But the thrill of seeing the Northern Lights in person lies in watching them shift and change, sometimes forming well-defined structures, sometimes dissolving into a ubiquitous glow.
Together with a few brilliant meteors, it’s a fitting end to my astronomical sea voyage, while up above the great cosmic ocean beckons.
If you go
Hurtigruten’s Northern Lights Promise is valid for bookings on the Coastal Express, North Cape Line and Hurtigruten sailings from Hamburg, departing between Sept. 20 and March 31.
The signature Astronomy Voyage, with an aurora chaser on board, returns in fall 2025. Rates for a return 12-day journey departing from Bergen start at US$3,476 a person for double occupancy. Visit hurtigruten.com for details.
The aurora borealis, as seen from the top deck of a Hurtgiruten ship off the coast of Northern Norway.Dave Weber/Hurtgiruten Cruise Line
What to expect: Displays of the Northern Lights can range from modest to spectacular. While there’s an excellent chance of seeing auroras, there’s no way to be sure in advance how active they will be. Optimal times tend to be in February and March.
Equipment: Cellphones work at capturing auroras but the trick is to keep steady and make sure your battery is fully charged. For more serious photographers, a good digital camera with a tripod can yield fantastic results. (Set camera speed to ISO 800 to 1600 with the higher setting best for darker skies. Stick with short exposure times because you’re on a moving ship which can blur a longer exposure.)
What to wear: Think Canadian winter and think layers. Warm boots with a good grip for walking around on deck. A parka with warm gloves that are easy to remove for snapping photos are ideal.
The writer was a guest of Hurtigruten. It did not review or approve the story before publication.
