The northern lights have been a stunning display for generations. Find out more about their history and of the early people who saw them. NorthernLights
Throughout history, humans have gazed in awe at the astronomical wonder that is the aurora borealis. We’ve wondered what it is and told stories about the lights that shimmered above.
The Finnish name for the the northern lights is revontulet, meaning “fox fires.” Legend says that foxes made of fire lived in Lapland and their frisky tails whirled sparks into the sky. In Estonia, the name is virmalised, meaning spirit beings of higher realms. The Inuits of northern Greenland believed spirits were playing games,. And now, scientists discovered the oldest known written record of the aurora, predating a previous finding by some three centuries.