Aurora: The Northern Lights in Mythology, History and Science

by HARALD FALCK YTTER, Torbjorn Lovgren (Photographer)

The colorful light of the aurora borealis appears in the sparsely populated polar regions of the North during its long winter nights. Little is known about this ethereal occurrence, which provides dazzling displays of ghostly light and movement. The author has spent years studying the aurora, and in this book he reveals the mythology that surrounds the aurora in various northern cultures as well as the science behind the phenomenon as it has developed through history. The author also records various responses to the aurora, from Aristotle to modern geophysicists, and from different cultures and traditions, thus charting the gradual understanding of this most awe-inspiring experience. Demonstrating the influence of the Sun in the creation of the aurora, Falck-Ytter also compares the northern lights with other light phenomena, such as lightning and rainbows. Beautifully illustrated, this book offers a conprehensive understanding of a very mysterious dynamic that has fascinated and alarmed northern communities for millennia.

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1999

Reviews

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

*read for research purposes*