What do Northern Lights and Polar Bears have in Common?

Image Credit: Erik Rock, Natural Habitat Adventures

Well, if you happen to be in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada you may have the chance to see them both! The northern lights often make an appearance during our October/November polar bear tour season, and occasionally a few polar bears stick around to see the show during spring’s northern lights season. To give you a glimpse of what awaits, here is a very cool time lapse of the Northern lights from Churchill by Natural Habitat Adventures expedition leader Brad Josephs, who braved the long, super freezing night to bring you this.

Did you know? Aurora borealis, a phenomenon of bright dancing lights that occurs when electrically charged particles from the sun enter the earth’s atmosphere and collide. The amazing light show, known as ‘magnetic midnight, occurs above the northern and southern magnetic poles.

Image credit: Erik Rock, Natural Habitat Adventures

The northern lights are known as ‘aurora borealis’ in the north and ‘aurora australis’ in the south.  Scientists have learned that in most instances these two magic shows are near mirror-like images of each other, occurring at the same time and with similar shapes and colors.

Image credit: Brad Josephs, Natural Habitat Adventures

To see this once in a lifetime event, including experiencing Arctic cultures, check out Natural Habitat Adventures’ northern lights tour – but be prepared to dress warm! Or check out the the most coveted polar bear tours on the planet.