Thanks to the Internet, millions of people across the globe have had the chance to gawk at spectacular images of the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, shimmering in the sky. For many of them, seeing this magical sight in person is high on their “bucket list” of things to do before they die. This large community of would-be aurora gazers forms the primary audience for Pål Brekke and Fredrik Broms’ handy, informative and – of course – visually stunning book Northern Lights: a Guide. Brekke, a solar physicist from the University of Oslo, is the driving force behind the book’s scientific side. Broms, a marine biologist and photographer who specializes in photographing the Northern Lights, is responsible for the stunning pictures that appear on most of its pages. Together, they have created a perfect companion for trip-planning or simply learning more about the science behind the spectacle. The book is divided into five sections, including an introduction; a short history of the myths and the science that surround the phenomenon; the solar effects that cause the aurora borealis to dance across the skies; suggestions for observing the lights; and, of course, the all-important topic of how to photograph them. The myths section contains the intriguing fact that the Inuit people in Greenland “believed that the lights represented the souls of stillborn children who were playing ball with a walrus skull”. This chapter also examines some of the earliest scientific literature about the lights, up to the early 1900s when the Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland finally proved that the “solar wind” of magnetic particles was responsible for the surreal displays. The photography section is particularly informative, beginning with how to use a simple compact digital camera to capture the lights, then tackling the possibilities of using more advanced digital SLR and video cameras. Other tips include how to use photographic equipment in cold climates, how to best compose images and how to deal with ambient light. So if you want to get a good taste of the science behind the Northern Lights and also find out about the practicalities of organizing a trip to see them in person, then this is the book for you.

• 2013 Forlaget Press £35.00hb 120pp