Spirit Lights (Arctic Series Book 2)

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They are called the 'northern lights' because they are a glowing, flickering display of colours most commonly seen in the northern hemisphere. The most common colour to see is fluorescent green, followed by orange and purple, and many shades of red, pink, blue and yellow. These colours are caused by gases in the air, mainly a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. The northern lights are similar to other weather patterns, in that they can be forecasted and need certain conditions to occur.

They can happen anytime you have dark skies, anytime between dawn and dusk, and are least common in the summer months. They can occur all year round but are best seen between September and April. It is also best to try and avoid light pollution, meaning that you should travel further away from urban settlements. Seeing the Northern Lights in the darkness of the Icelandic countryside is sure to be a phenomenal experience. It might also be wise to try and avoid seeing them at Full Moon.

The scientific explanation for why they happen is that energetically charged particles collide with atoms in high altitude atmospheres, and this solar wind is directed into the atmosphere by the Earth's magnetic field. A geomagnetic storm is a major part of space weather patterns and is caused by shock waves in the magnetic field, commonly associated with turbulent solar winds. It is caused by the temporary disturbance of the magnetosphere by an interplanetary medium. During geomagnetic storms, the auroral zone is bigger and brighter, visible in lower altitudes ie. Did you manage to catch them when you were here?

Make sure to leave your comments and thoughts in the Facebook box below. We look forward to seeing you in Iceland! Find a tour Rent a car Find accommodation. You will always find the best deals and prices on Guide to Iceland. We are certain that our marketplace will always provide you with the best possible prices at any given time. If you find a better price elsewhere, we will refund you the difference. Guide to Iceland is the world's largest marketplace for Icelandic travel services.

We offer more than 5, tours and packages that have been tried and tested for quality. Book with us to secure an authentic local experience and find the popular and unique attractions in Iceland. We follow the easiest booking and cancellation policies in Iceland. Add multiple services to your cart or book a package in a single checkout.

You can book and cancel day tours and rental cars up to 24 hours before departure, or change your booking as often as you require. Guide to Iceland is the world's most popular source of Iceland travel information. We provide you with more material about Iceland than any other website. Discover a wealth of unique articles and travel blogs; study up on local hints, tips and find insider knowledge.

You can even read blogs by other travelers. Vikings and the Norse Gods. When do Northern lights happen? How do the Northern Lights happen? The company is progressive and puts focus on the safety and distribution of travellers, environmental policies as well as innovation and development in giving out information. It's very important to get such a company to collaborate with us at this time of immense growth in the travel industry.

On its other side there's a small pond and a wall of moss with water dripping down it. The building itself is well worth a visit! How long does a sunset or a sunrise last? How long is the period you can experience the midnight sun in Iceland? How do you sleep during the midnight sun? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the glorious Midnight Sun in Iceland!

What Brings About the Midnight Sun? The Midnight Sun is caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis towards the sun during summer. This same tilt of the Earth's axis, along with the Earth revolving around the sun, is what causes seasons to happen.

Spirit Lights (Arctic Series, #2) by Bonnie Turner

Each year the north part of the Earth tilts towards the sun between April and September and then the south part tilting away from the sun and vice versa between September and April. As a result summer occurs in the Northern Hemisphere in the months of June, July and August, but summer occurs in the Southern Hemisphere in the months of December, January and February.

The poles of the Earth get the most contrast, both being exposed to the sun's rays continuously for 6 months, and then experiencing total darkness, or Polar Nights, for the remaining 6 months of the year. Most people in the world live far enough away from these poles, so the daylight hours and nighttime hours more or less stay the same all year round. That is not the case in Iceland; here, when it comes to daylight hours, it is an all or barely nothing experience.

Still, Iceland is far away enough from the North Pole to not experience such a crazy contrast. March and April Spring and September and October Fall see Iceland's daylight resemble what is mostly considered to be 'normal' by global standards, with the sun rising between And winter is not completely dark either, although December and January only experience hours of daylight each day.

Amusingly, the most common one is: Another common question is: No more worrying about time restraints, needing to get somewhere or get home or get to bed "before it gets dark. Taking a midnight sun tour provides you with an opportunity to experience some of Iceland's best attractions in a truly unique way, thus maximising your time on the island.

During summer, it is possible to travel everywhere in Iceland, whereas during the winter months, some areas of the country are not accessible. The Icelandic Highlands is one example of a region that is only accessible from late June or early July until September. At the height of winter, it may be difficult to access the Westfjords, and even some parts of North and East Iceland due to heavy snow and bad weather. This is not a problem during summertime. Although it may sometimes be windy, rainy or foggy, there will not be any snowstorms except maybe on top of glaciers!

The Ultimate Guide to Driving in Iceland. We recommend renting a car and exploring the country at your own pace. And with the long days, you can fit in more hours of sightseeing, driving around and doing activities to max out your holiday time in Iceland.

Spirit Lights

See the Best Attractions by Route 1 in Iceland. Summer and Winter Solstices in Iceland The further north or south you go on the planet, the more effect there is by the summer and winter solstices. This makes experiencing time in Iceland a truly unique concept, unlike anywhere else on the planet. The shortest day of the year the winter solstice is around the 21st of December. Again, the further north you go in the country, this day will be even shorter. In between the shortest and the longest day of the year, the days are either getting longer or shorter, from just a few seconds up to several minutes per day.

So if you want to know how much daylight there is in a particular month, note that there can be a drastic difference from the beginning and the end of the month, and which location you are planning on visiting in Iceland. The town is surrounded by tall mountains and is situated so far north in the country that the sun doesn't rise high enough for its beams to reach over the mountaintops in wintertime. Find Westfjords Tours here. So the height of the Midnight Sun in Iceland is in the last two weeks of June, but if you are visiting Iceland in May , early June, July or early August then you will also get to experience the Midnight Sun.

In the beginning of August, a couple of hours per night can get quite dark, not more than dusk though. Towards the end of August or beginning of September there will be a couple of hours of pitch black night, so the Northern Lights will start making an appearance in the sky as well. Late August or early September is the perfect time of year to experience the long days and milder weather, but still with a few hours of darkness during the night to catch some Auroras dancing in the sky.

Iceland in August and Iceland in September. Top 10 Beautiful Waterfalls of Iceland Iceland is a country of many amazing waterfalls, but which are the best ones? Where do you need to travel to find the most spectacular waterfalls? Are there waterfalls all around the country?

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For more general information on waterfalls in Iceland see: Waterfalls in Iceland Photography in Iceland 7. At the base of the fall are sharp rocks that have broken from these columns, making for quite a spectacular sight. Find tours from Skaftafell here 6. It is the only one specifically featured on the classic 'Diamond Circle' route. Certainly, those who witness the sheer beauty of the falls will agree that the name is fitting.

Gullfoss Widely considered the most famous of Icelandic waterfalls, the aptly named Gullfoss 'The Golden Waterfall' belongs to the famous ' Golden Circle ', the most popular tourist trail in the country. Stay within the fence though, for if you fall through, you'll never emerge again. Find Golden Circle tours here 2. Find South Coast tours here 1. Seljalandsfoss Seljalandsfoss is another widely popular waterfall when travelling the South Coast. When the earth is covered with a blanket of white snow, the green of the lights strikes out with an otherworldly appeal.

For more information about the Northern Lights, read Northern Lights Aurora Borealis in Iceland The lights are always there, but you can only see them when the sky is dark. Because of Iceland's midnight sun during the summer, the time for Northern Lights is usually restricted to the winter months of September until April.

From then on, it's all up to the sun's magnetic activity. You can check the forecast of the strength of the aurora's visibility at the aurora forecast. Besides, going somewhere rural provides the perfect backdrop for phenomenal photography—and a solitary moment with the cosmos.

Remember to look up from your lens from time to time when hunting for the aurora, to remind yourself of the infinity of the universe. In the words of the one and only Carl Sagan: For the optimal Northern Lights excursion, a fantastic tip is to bring a thermos of piping hot chocolate or coffee. You can read about more Romantic Destinations in Iceland here Although their most common colour is green, the lights sometimes boast purples, blues, pinks and reds. These are, however, rarer and only appear if the activity of the lights is especially strong. So if you catch a pink or purple auroras, know that you are one of the lucky few.

If you want to know what causes the Northern Lights, read this article: What are the Northern Lights? If you haven't made your way to the edge of the Arctic as of yet and only seen the Northern Lights on photographs, know that they're far from static. In fact, depending on their activity, they dance wildly across the sky.

For a visual journey of Iceland's natural wonders, see this article: Amazing Videos of Iceland Since the Northern Lights need clear and dark nights to appear, that means when the lights are out, the stars are out as well. With the right camera equipment, you might catch the lights coiling themselves around the milky way. There are plenty of scenic lakes to be found all over Iceland for such a mystical display.

For information and pictures on the lakes of Iceland, see this article: So if you notice a few veils in the sky before you head out on your hunt, don't let it stop you—since you might still get your lucky shot. Travelling the Icelandic Westfjords in winter is not for the faint of heart, but the scenery at hand is unique and desolate in the most stunning of ways.

If daring the journey, make sure you rent a 4x4 vehicle. We hope you enjoyed these magnificent photographs of the natural phenomenon that is the Northern Lights. Now, all there is left for you to do is get out there and collect equally stunning shots of your own. Iceland looks forward to your visit!

Iceland is filled with interesting rock sculptures, lava formations, volcanoes and mountains of all shapes and sizes. In the Westfjords you can find high table-top mountains with narrow fjords in between but the mountains by the fjords in the east of the country are more rugged and harsh.

The mountains in the Westfjords are older about million years old and have been shaped through thousands of years of carrying heavy glaciers and battling with the natural elements, polishing off the rough edges. Younger mountains that have been formed when two tectonic plates crash into each other are rougher on the edges. Iceland is situated right on top of two tectonic plates and is also on one of so-called hot spots on earth, with intense volcanic activity and frequent earthquakes happening.

Volcanoes have many different types of lava, for example smooth and fast running lava, thick and slowly crawling lava or spitting lava. These different types of lava will cool into different types of mountains, stones and rock formations with different textures, thickness, colours and weight.

Famous Mountains in Iceland Most Icelanders have their favourite mountain and some mountains are more known then others. You can also take the bus to Esjan, and if you want to hike to the top, it only takes about 2 hours one way! Following are my personal favourite mountains and rocks in Iceland. It is situated in the east of Iceland. In front of it you see a little bit of Vestrahorn mountain, that is right next to it and is also a gorgeous mountain as can be seen above.

Landmannalaugar Mountains Landmannalaugar is an area in south of Iceland that actually has many different mountains and is not one specific mountain. To get there you will need to take a bus or drive a 4x4 car as these mountains are situated in the Icelandic highlands. A number of Landmannalaugar tours are available and this is also where Iceland's most popular hiking route, Laugavegurinn , starts.

Blatindur Mountain Picture from Hlynur A. From the ground it looks very impressive and towers over the low-lying valley. Here you can find our Westman Island tours. Many hills or mountains in Iceland have this natural, round shape — the mountain Baula is another example. To reach the mountain itself, you'll need a 4x4 car to drive the highland roads F35 and F First you drive the Golden Circle to Gullfoss, then continue on road 35 until it turns into a mountain track F After a short while you take a left onto F until you reach the mountain.

Jules Verne also used it as the entryway to the centre of the earth in his book Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Hvitserkur Rock The coolest looking rock in Iceland. A 15 meter tall rock out in the sea in the northwest of Iceland. A hidden gem in Iceland's nature, not to be missed. To go exploring, check out our car rentals or our summer self drive tours! The road is accessible by any type of car.

Hornbjarg Mountain Picture from Wikipedia. Last, but definitely not least, I want to mention Hornbjarg mountain. It is one of the most difficult mountains to get to in Iceland. It's a part of Hornstrandir can be translated as Corner Shores in the northernmost tip of the Westfjords in Iceland, the most remote area of the country. Some people used to live in this area but they all left in the 's. Besides gorgeous scenery, remoteness and total tranquility, this is also a great place for birdwatchers and those who'd like to catch a glimpse of an arctic fox.

Check out these main attractions by Route 1. What are the most popular tour choices and cultural excursions? Read on to find out the Top 12 Things to Do in Iceland.

The Northern Lights in Mythology

Considering the sheer variety of experience available in Iceland, picking and choosing what one has time for—and within what budget —can often be a difficult and indecisive period of the pre-holiday organisation. Thankfully, having tried and tested every tour, adventure and cultural experience available in the country, we here at Guide to Iceland are an authority when it comes to choosing the best means of filling your time here. As with many tours in Iceland, whale watching guests will also spot a variety of seabirds, including Skuas , Arctic Tern , Guillemots and even the colourfully billed Puffin.

Whale watching tours depart from three primary locations: Whale Watching in Iceland Whale watching tours can be undertaken either on larger vessels or smaller power boats. The bigger boats mean for larger tour groups but reliable tracking technology, almost ensuring that you'll see a whale. Smaller boats mean smaller groups, thus a more intimate setting.

Powerboat operators are also able to get closer to the animals themselves as their motors make far less noise. By choosing to partake in a horse riding tour, visitors guarantee themselves a tried-and-tested method of experiencing the Icelandic nature. Most tours will last for approximately 90 minutes though there are options to extend this and will offer the chance for a quick trot for those who feel confident on the saddle. Nightlife in Iceland Make the most of it! As with most places across the world, the later the night goes on, the more debauched the general atmosphere of downtown will become.

Thankfully, most hotels and guesthouses are within walking distance, meaning only the shortest of stumbles home after the gulp has been swallowed. Whatever it is the Blue Lagoon is selling—a surefire way to beat jet lag? The Ultimate Guide to the Blue Lagoon. Dettifoss is accessible by Route and makes just up one part of the Diamond Circle, the northern counterpart of the more famed Golden Circle sightseeing route.

Known for a rich history steeped in folklore, mysticism and magic, the Westfjords is as beautiful as it is culturally fascinating. While the spirit escapes, the other spirit, Raava, explains that she is the spirit of light and peace, and that the spirit Wan had inadvertently freed is Vaatu, the spirit of darkness and war. Wan realizes that he brought destruction to the world.

After being admonished by Raava, Wan discovers Vaatu turning other spirits dark and threatens to destroy the world. With Raava as a conduit, Wan travels to other lion turtles to gain control of Air , Water and Earth , and prepare for the ' Harmonic Convergence ', in which Vaatu and Raava will battle for the fate of the world.

Wan and Raava fail to stop the war between humans and spirits, though Wan cannot resist the power of the spirit and control all elements. Upon traveling to the Southern spirit portal, Raava possess Wan again. Vaatu initiates the power of the Harmonic Convergence, causing the two portals to overlap with each other.

Using the energy generated by the event, Wan fuses with Raava permanently, thereby becoming the first Avatar. After sealing Vaatu in the Tree of Time, Wan closes both portals and the spirits return to their own world. Years later, the dying Wan apologizes to Raava for not bringing peace to the world. Their merged soul having transformed into the divine Avatar Spirit entity leaves his body and disappears, beginning the reincarnation and rebirth cycle.

With their memories restored, Korra leaves the island, while learning that the Harmonic Convergence is only a few weeks away. Korra seeks Tenzin's help to enter the spirit world; but Tenzin's attempts fail, and she is instead guided by Jinora. In Republic City, Mako continues his investigation of Varrick. When Asami goes to cheer Mako up, his apartment is raided by the police and they find evidence, planted by Varrick, that he was responsible for the thefts from Future Industries, resulting in his second arrest. At the South Pole, Unalaq fails to open the sealed North Pole portal himself, and reports to Vaatu, who promises that Korra shall come to them.

In the spirit world with Jinora, Korra must contend with the difficult relationships between spirits. When the two are separated, Korra is transformed into a childlike version of herself. She is rescued by Iroh , who teaches her to control her emotions and tells her to help a young phoenix -like spirit return home.

When Korra does this, the phoenix spirit combines with others in its nest while Korra is restored to her proper age and taken to the spirit portals. While learning that Vaatu's seal can indeed be broken if both portals are opened during Harmonic Convergence, Jinora learns that Wan Shi Tong is in league with Unalaq. Attempting to rescue Jinora, Korra is forced by Unalaq to open the northern portal. After a short battle, Korra is rescued by the phoenix spirit and forced out of the spirit world without Jinora, whose inanimate physical body remains in comatose.

Bolin visits Mako in prison, and Mako tries to warn his brother against Varrick. Disbelieving him, Bolin goes to the finale of his "movers" series, which President Raiko is also attending. During the performance, Bolin foils an apparent attempt to kidnap President Raiko. When he interrogates one of the kidnappers, the latter incriminates Varrick, who is promptly arrested and Mako freed.

Korra turns to Varrick for help, who agrees to give her his personal battleship. At the South Pole, Tonraq is defeated by Unalaq. Senna tells Korra and her friends that the Southern resistance has been defeated and Tonraq captured while Jinora nears death. With Harmonic Convergence hours away, Korra and her friends stage a frontal attack on the fortified South Pole, wherein everybody except Bumi is captured. Bumi infiltrates the camp and inadvertently destroys it, freeing Korra and her friends.

They all follow Unalaq into the portal except for Asami, who takes an injured Tonraq to Katara for healing. Korra is too late to close the portal and Harmonic Convergence begins; Vaatu, after 10, years, is freed. Korra tries to imprison Vaatu while Mako and Bolin oppose Unalaq.

Korra and Unalaq then oppose each other in their respective Avatar States. The siblings then venture into the Fog of Lost Souls, which drives humans mad with their self-doubts. Kya and Bumi quickly succumb to the fog and Tenzin nearly does as well; but is visited by a vision of Aang, by whose advice Tenzin temporarily clears the fog and frees his relatives. Mako and Bolin convince Eska and Desna to free them; but Korra is overpowered by Unalaq, who destroys Raava and Korra's connection with the past Avatars, knocking Korra out. Jinora spiritually senses the destruction of Raava and goes to help.

Unalaq transforms into Unavaatu, the strongest, most powerful, and darkest spirit that ever existed, and teleports away, knocking Mako and Bolin unconscious. Tenzin and his siblings find Korra and her friends wounded and unconscious.

Once healed by Kya, Korra states that with Raava gone the cycle is over and she is now the last Avatar. Unavaatu attacks Republic City. During the attack, Varrick escapes prison. As she meditates, Korra unlocks her innermost spiritual energy and teleports to Republic City to discover a fragment of Raava within Vaatu, for Vaatu cannot live without Raava. Jinora's spirit illuminates the fragment, and Korra withdraws Raava and purifies Unavaatu, killing Unalaq and defeating Vaatu once and for all. They are about to be overrun when Korra's spirit and Raava return, destroying all of the dark spirits.

Korra and Raava then unite, recreating the Avatar Spirit, but Korra's link with the previous Avatars remains lost. Instead of closing the spirit portals, Korra leaves them open, believing that spirits and humans were meant to coexist, and announces to the Southern Water Tribe that they are now independent from the North. Korra and Mako officially end their relationship after the former regained her memory of her first breakup with him. But when they invited him to join their club, the Ice Patrol, he was excited — though suspicious, he was keen to have friends, and become one of them.

But the initiation the three boys put him through — the darkness of the inside of an abandoned igloo, reported to be haunted — made Jean-Paul terribly afraid. Sasha was adorable — loyal and kind — while Jean-Paul was a typical kid; desperate to have friends and mix in at school.

Set in the s in one of the coldest places on earth, The Haunted Igloo is one I have no hesitation in recommending. Jan 11, Anne rated it really liked it Shelves: I am reading this to my daughter and we are really enjoying it. Jun 16, Cathy rated it really liked it Shelves: Good story about a family who leaves Quebec to live in the frozen tundra of the West. Nicholas rated it it was amazing Apr 03, Marie Woodard rated it liked it Jan 15, Morris rated it it was amazing Jan 05, Heather Bushee rated it liked it Sep 27, Kim Hassey rated it really liked it Dec 14, Brenda Rock rated it liked it Feb 05, Linda Au rated it it was amazing Aug 29, Lauren Kelley rated it really liked it May 31, Jenn rated it really liked it Jul 29, Ami Kopstein rated it liked it Nov 01, Cynthia rated it really liked it Mar 28, Catrina Bradley rated it really liked it Jun 04, Lesley rated it really liked it Jan 26, Ethan Miller rated it it was ok Jun 22, Cindy rated it liked it Dec 07, Laura rated it really liked it Mar 09, Melody rated it liked it Nov 20, Sdm added it Nov 11, Silvia added it Jul 27, Campbell added it Dec 13, Em added it Feb 09, Donna Allen added it Jan 28, Tiffany marked it as to-read Jan 17, Terry Samders marked it as to-read Jan 31, Kajola marked it as to-read Jan 20, PJ marked it as to-read Feb 12, Jocelyn Stark marked it as to-read Mar 11, Marie Chroninger is currently reading it May 05, Amy Linquist marked it as to-read May 11, SUE marked it as to-read Jun 16,