On Tuesday, November 9, 2010, Astronomy’s travel group was nearing the end of our ship-bound journey on the MS Midnatsol, cruising northward along the Norwegian coastline looking for bright shows of aurora borealis. Monday night, we saw aurorae lighting up the horizon in the north, and Tuesday we awoke to a clear blue sky for the first time on the trip. Thus, the group is hopeful to see a few more displays before heading home.
The famous globe monument at the North Cape site marks the northernmost position of Europe, at latitude 71°10'21" — from here, going northward means going to the North Pole. David J. Eicher photo
Speaking of heading home, this is the final blog I will write about my vacation trip with
Astronomy readers in Norway, as I'll be busy with last-minute activities before flying to Oslo and then on back home.
On Tuesday, we had the extraordinary opportunity to dock at Honningsvåg, a city of 2,800, extremely far north along the Norwegian coastline. The primary excursion carried us on a 40-minute bus journey from the port to the North Cape Plateau, the northernmost point in Europe, at 71°10'21" north latitude. From there, the next stop northward is the North Pole!
A substantial museum stands at the northernmost tip of the North Cape Plateau, within sight of the famous globe monument marking the position. A terrific widescreen film, cafes, and shops, as well as other exhibits, round out what is nominally a 90-minute visit to the site. And just 90 miles north of this position lies another famous site associated with World War II — the spot where British warships sank the German heavy cruiser Scharnhorst in 1943.
Returning to our ship, we departed Honnigsvåg and headed northeastward toward our final destination, Kirkenes, where we will board an aircraft bound for Oslo. Before then, we hope to see bright displays of aurorae and to celebrate our trip with a fine dinner and a reception put on by MWT Associates. The quest for aurorae has brought us to a whole new incredible world, and we are very amazed with the sights and history of everything we have seen in Norway.
And remember, you can find photos from our trip at Astronomy.com's Trips and Tours page.
Related blogs:
Visiting the most northerly substantive city
We cross the Arctic Circle
Waiting for aurorae, visiting St. Olaf
Astronomy in Norway rolls on
The quest for aurorae begins
On the road: Norwegian aurorae