The green swirls glowed hauntingly across the inky night sky as if a ghost had left a trail of its ethereal essence in the firmament. We stood transfixed as the lights slowly curved and curled, taking center stage in nature’s heavenly theater.

Seeing the aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, has long been a dream of mine, holding a spot on my bucket list for some time. But for my Mom, Mary Lou, seeing the Northern Lights was bordering on an obsession.

Mary Lou has gone to great lengths over the years in her quest. She has been to Alaska multiple times with the hopes of seeing the aurora; and for the last couple winters, she has made pilgrimages to Iceland with the expressed purpose of hunting the light, all to no avail. She has stood on watch in the freezing temperatures, wrapped in layers of fleece, wool and down. She has spent long nights chasing across the frozen landscape with a guide to catch a glimpse of the extravaganza. But alas, Mother Nature is a fickle diva and even when conditions are optimal, there is never a guarantee of when the aurora will perform its magical show.

The Northern Lights are most active above the Arctic Circle in periods of clear, dry weather and low or no moon light. The best time of year to spot activity is between the autumn and spring equinoxes (September 21 – March 21). Auroral activity tends to be cyclical, peaking every 11 years. Scientists say that the next peak period will be in 2013, although winter 2012 through winter 2014 is considered a “solar maximum.” The best places to see the Northern Lights are the northwestern part of Canada (the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska), the southern tips of Greenland and Iceland, the northern coast of Norway and the coastal waters north of Siberia.

This year, Mary Lou decided to hunt the light along the northern coast of Norway from the vantage of a Hurtigruten cruise sailing from the top of the world southward to Bergen, Norway. To my delight, she asked me to join her and travel companion Alice, so in early February, we bundled up against the -30°C (-22°F) cold and headed to the Arctic Circle!

On our second night in the Arctic waters we were comfortably lounging in our warm cabin before bed. Suddenly the announcement came over the ship’s intercom, “We have Northern Light activity!” I wasn’t sure if Mary Lou was going to hyperventilate or cry while she quickly pulled on the many layers of warmth needed to endure the cold outside.  What she had been hunting for so long was finally within reach!

We hustled up to the top outside deck of the Midnatsol and there it was: first faint green striations, then gaining strength in color and dimension. The charged solar particles flowed across the dark sky in an otherworldly slow dance of lime green tendrils. An awed hush fell over everyone as we collectively watched in wonder and amazement. It lasted for about an hour, but it was so shockingly cold outside, after about 20 minutes we decided to watch the rest of the show from the comfort of the inside lounge through the two-story glass walls.

Mary Lou was moved to tears by the breathtaking panorama. Our quest was finally satisfied, but I’m not sure what was better for me: the cosmic show or my Mom’s unmitigated delight.

If hunting the light is also on your bucket list, a winter Hurtigruten cruise in northern Norway is a comfortable way to bear the cold and while there are no guarantees, next winter will be your optimal chance to see the Northern Lights. Contact Covington Travel to arrange your quest and if you are lucky enough to see the magic, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.