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Norway

Astronomy Above the Arctic Circle: A Journey Along Coastal Norway

Program No. 23067RJ
Starting in culturally rich Bergen, voyage north to colorful fishing towns and unique ecological wonders above the Arctic Circle in search of the northern lights.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
15 days
Program Begins
Bergen, Norway
Program Concludes
Bergen, Norway
Meals
38 ( 13B, 12L, 13D )
Activity Level
Take a front-row seat for nature’s own theater, voyaging above the Arctic Circle to learn about the Arctic night sky and the luminous green curtains of the northern lights, the Aurora Borealis. With an astronomy expert, sail along Norway’s coast during polar nights when the sun doesn’t make it over the horizon and snow-clad mountains provide a matchless backdrop. Sail through pristine islands, past majestic mountains and go ashore in enchanting towns such as Tromsø, Ålesund and Trondheim on this special adventure discovering science in the skies at the northern tip of Norway.
Best of all, you'll...
  • Sail along the breathtaking and rugged coast of Norway as you hunt for the incomparably beautiful display put on by the Aurora Borealis.
  • Look out across the Arctic Ocean from the North Cape, the northernmost point on the European continent.
  • Explore the beauty and history of Bergen, surrounded by the Seven Mountains, with a local expert.
All Experts
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Athina Trigoni was born in Veroia, Greece, and currently lives in Thessaloniki. She has worked as a licensed travel educator for Greece since 1988 and has led groups all over the country, both on the mainland and the islands. During the past 30 years as a travel educator, she has led cultural heritage, academic, religious, and family programs. Athina enjoys her job very much because she loves sharing her knowledge about Greece as well as interacting and exchanging experiences with people.
David Crowe worked in education for more than 40 years teaching history, physical education, and serving as vice principal of his school. He has a degree and PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) in history. Following retirement in 2014, he returned to the classroom to teach history in the International School of Monaco. David lives between the UK and the south of France, following his passion for adventure, skiing, climbing, sailing, kayaking, and cycling. David has led Road Scholar programs in Scotland and Scandinavia.
Ron Waldron is an educator with over three decades of classroom teaching experience in the Saskatoon Public School Division. He introduced several portable planetariums to the division, and as planetarium director, he trained over 200 teachers in their use. An avid amateur astronomer, Ron continues to be an active member of the Saskatoon Centre, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada where he has served in numerous executive capacities. Ron is the proprietor of Living Skies Stargazing, dedicated to providing telescopic views of the universe.
Don Hladiuk has twice been president of the Calgary chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC). He can be heard on the CBC's "Calgary EyeOpener,” where he shares his passion for space exploration. Don was a lecturer for Road Scholar’s “Astronomy Above the Arctic Circle” program, and has introduced many groups to the beauty of the Aurora Borealis. He has also been a leader on several solar eclipse expeditions, observing 16 total solar eclipses, three annular eclipses, and two rare Venus transits.
Bob King fell in love with the night sky and astronomy when he was a kid and loves to share his passion with people of all ages. Bob writes the Explore the Night column and Celestial Calendar for Sky & Telescope's website and magazine, teaches community education astronomy, and pens the Astro Bob blog. His latest book, Magnificent Aurora, is a comprehensive guide to the northern and southern lights. He lives in Duluth, Minnesota with his wife and has two adult daughters.
Alan Dyer has served on Road Scholar Norway excursions since 2017. He sees and photographs the Northern Lights frequently from his rural backyard in Alberta, Canada. But in addition to Norway, he often makes trips to more northern latitudes to chase the Lights. In Churchill, he serves as an instructor for Road Scholar aurora-viewing field trips to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Alan is co-author of the guidebook to amateur astronomy, 'The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide,' and is a contributing editor to Sky & Telescope magazine.
Howard Simkover was born in Montreal, Canada and graduated as the leading student in McGill University’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He became active in the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, where he served on the Observation Committee and the Board of Directors of the Montreal Centre. For more than two decades, Howard produced numerous shows and lectured on astronomy at the Montreal Planetarium. He continues to speak about astronomy to local audiences in Ottawa and to groups elsewhere via Zoom.
Jeanine Holowatuik is an avid aurora chaser, astrophotographer, and astronomy lover. She is the owner of Northern Escape Photography and is a published writer and photographer based in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Canada. As an advocate for dark skies, Jeanine promotes dark sky awareness through her photos, writing and presentations. Jeanine leads aurora science and aurora photography workshops and loves to share her passion for aurora chasing and the night sky.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to 2 miles per day over various types of terrain; walking up stairs unassisted, getting in and out of motor coaches.
Suggested Books and Resources
View Full List
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Call 800-454-5768
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Peace of Mind

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.

Assurance Plan

Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.

Want to Protect Your Investment?

Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.

Sustainable Travel

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.