Tag: Greenland

Best Places to witness Northern Lights

The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. It is a breathtaking sight to see, and many people travel great distances just to witness this stunning display of lights. Here are some of the best places to view the Northern Lights listed below.

Source – https://www.travelchannel.com/

  1. Tromsø, Norway:

    Tromsø, located in Northern Norway, is considered one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. It has a mild climate and clear skies, making it an ideal destination for Aurora viewing. Tromsø also has a vibrant nightlife, making it an excellent location for those looking for both adventure and entertainment.

  2. Reykjavik, Iceland:

    Reykjavik is Iceland’s capital and is also an excellent location to witness the Northern Lights. Iceland’s geography is perfect for viewing the Aurora Borealis, and Reykjavik’s location in the country’s southwestern region makes it an ideal base for exploring the surrounding areas.

  3. Abisko National Park, Sweden:

    Abisko National Park is located in Northern Sweden and is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. The area has a microclimate that helps keep the skies clear and the Aurora visible. There are also a variety of activities available, including dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.

  4. Fairbanks, Alaska:

    Fairbanks, Alaska, is an excellent place to view the Northern Lights. The city is located under the Aurora Oval, which is a zone where the Northern Lights are visible more often than in other regions. Additionally, Fairbanks is home to the Geophysical Institute, which provides Aurora forecasts.

  5. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Finland:

    Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is located in Finnish Lapland and is one of the most unique places to see the Northern Lights. The resort has glass igloos that allow guests to view the Aurora from the comfort of their own bed. The resort also offers a variety of activities, including reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.

  6. Yukon, Canada:

    Yukon, located in Northwestern Canada, is another excellent location to see the Northern Lights. The area has a low light pollution, making it easier to see the Aurora. Additionally, there are a variety of activities available, including snowshoeing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling.

  7. Kangerlussuaq, Greenland:

    Kangerlussuaq is located in Western Greenland and is an excellent location for Aurora viewing. The area has little light pollution, and the Aurora can often be seen from the town. Additionally, Kangerlussuaq is home to the Northern Light Dog Sledding excursion, where visitors can see the Aurora while on a dog sled ride.

  8. Svalbard, Norway:

    Svalbard is located in the Arctic Ocean and is an excellent location for Aurora viewing. The area has a low light pollution, and the Aurora can often be seen from the town of Longyearbyen. Additionally, there are a variety of activities available, including dog sledding, snowmobiling, and ice caving.

In conclusion, there are numerous places to view the Northern Lights, each with its unique charm and attractions. Whether you’re looking for a luxurious resort or a rugged wilderness experience, there’s an Aurora destination for everyone. Remember to check Aurora forecasts and plan accordingly for the best chance of witnessing this natural wonder.

Soft coral garden found in Greenland deep-sea

A deep-sea coral garden ecosystem is discovered with an outstanding depth of 1500m by a scientist from UCL, Zoological Society London and Greenland. Scientists of the UK and Greenland have found the Greenland sea coral garden habitat the first kind of habitat that has been recognized using an inventive and low-cost deep-sea video camera.

The study has shown that the economically important deep-sea trawl fisheries are adjacent to the habitat. The researchers hope that the United Nation recognized the 486 Km2 regions under the ‘Vulnerable Marine ecosystem’ so that it can be preserved and maintained. The soft coral garden found by the Uk-Greenland team exists in total darkness and where the pressure is 50 times greater than at the surface.

Coral gardens are characterised by collections of one or more species, that sits on a wide range of hard and soft bottom habitats, from rock to sand, and support a diversity of fauna,’ said Chris Yesson of the Zoological Society of London. The gardens are made of non-reef coral species, spotlighting mainly cauliflower corals, sponges, anemones, brittle stars and hydrozoans and other organisms.

PhD. Researcher (UCL) and ZCL first authors said that despite our earth is covering about 70% of the deeps we hardly mapped it. The inventions of the low-cost tools carry numerous probabilities in discovering and maintaining marine ecosystems. Since discovering the deep-sea is very costly and difficult since the pressure increase by one atmosphere as we go 10m deep. However, the innovative and low-cost video camera is able to discover the new ecosystem where the pressures is fifty times greater than at the surface.

The researchers have successfully developed the towed video sled using a steel frame on which they mounted a GoPro video camera, lights and lasers to provide an understanding of scale (made by integrating high power laser pointer made by UCL’s Institute of Making) in pressure-proof housings. The video sledge which was made as of the size of mini copper-on the seafloor for around 15 minutes at a time took footage from 18 different sites across the seafloor taking out 1239 photos from the video footage for further investigation.

Me long said ‘A towed video sled is not unique. However, our research is certainly the first example of a low-cost DIY video sled led being used to explore deep-sea habitats in Greenland’s 2.2 million square kilometres of sea, ‘

Continued by Dr. Yesson saying “Given that the ocean is the biggest habitat on earth and the one about which we know the least, we think it is critically important ti develop cheap, accessible research tools. These tools can be used to explore, describe and crucially inform management of these deep-sea resources.”

Greenland virtually is unexplored, although more than 2000 enormous species have been known till now contributing in making complex and diverse habitats. Greenland’s economy depends on a small number of fishers trawls on the seabed despite knowing very less about the marine habitat and hoping that studies on the deep sea will increase the understanding of ecological relationship said by Mr.Martin Blitcher.