What is the Time Zone in Finland?

Finland uses EET (UTC+2) during winter, and EEST (UTC+3) during summer

What is the time zone in Finland?
Finland uses Eastern European Time (UTC+2) during winter, and Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3) during summer. Many European countries, for example Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Greece use the same time zone as Finland.

Eastern European Time (EET)

During winter, Finland uses the Eastern European Time (EET) as standard time. EET is two hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+2).

Eastern European Summer Time (EEST)

During summer, as daylight saving time, Finland uses the Eastern European Summer time (EEST). EEST is three hours ahead of coordinated universal time (UTC+3).

Image by Finland Promotion Board

10 Fun Facts about the Northern Lights

Northern lights look both mythical and amazing. But what do we know about them?
Here are some fun to known facts about the northern lights.

Northern lights look both mythical and amazing. But what do we know about them? Here are some fun facts about the northern lights.

Fun Facts about the Northern Lights

1. What are Northern Lights?

Northern lights look amazing on a dark sky looking like dancing waves of light. But what we see as lights are actually powerful collisions on Earth’s upper atmosphere.

2. What Causes Northern Lights

Sun is constantly ejecting charged particles to the space. This is called the solar wind. The particles can reach supersonic speed as they travel through space.

Some of the particles travel towards Earth. Earth’s defense line, the magnetic field redirects the particles towards Earth’s magnetic poles. When the electrically charged particles collide with the gasses on Earth’s upper atmosphere, the northern lights are born.

3. Where Northern Lights can be seen?

Northern lights (or southern lights) can be seen in the northernmost and southernmost areas of the Earth. This area around Earth’s magnetic pole is known as an auroral oval.

4. When Northern Lights are Most Active?

The solar activity varies with the 11-year sunspot cycle. This affects also to the frequency of the northern lights. But don’t worry even if it’s not the the most active year, northern lights are seen every year.

Northern lights are a bit more common during spring and autumn than during summer or winter. So basically they can be seen throughout the year, but you can see them only when it’s dark enough.

6. Catch them at Midnight

Northern lights can be seen any time of the day (when it’s dark enough), but statistically the best time to catch them is at midnight.

7. Northern Lights are usually Green or Violet

Northern lights usually glow in shades of green and violet, but they can also be red or blue. The color depends on the height at which the collisions take place as there are different gasses at different heights on the Earth’s atmosphere.

8. Are There Northern Lights in Finland?

Yes. Finland is located on the auroral oval so northern lights can be seen in Finland. They can be seen anywhere in Finland, but you have better chances to see them in Northern Finland. Chances of seeing northern lights in Southern Finland is just once a month (on average) but in Northern Finland (Lapland) you can see them almost every other night (on average).

9. Lapland is the Best Place to see Northern Lights

If you want to see northern lights, you should visit Finnish Lapland. In Lapland northern lights can be seen almost 200 nights a year.

10. Named after Roman Goddess

The official terms for northern lights are aurora borealis (arctic) and aurora australis (antarctic). The word aurora comes from the Roman goddess of the dawn.

In Finland They are known as “Revontulet”

In Finnish language northern lights are known as “revontulet” which translates to fox’s fires. Perhaps because the auroras may look like a tail of a mythical firefox.

More info:
Visit Lapland
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Image by Marko Junttila / Lapland Material Bank

Finland’s Independence Day is December 6

Independence Day is a national holiday, so most people have the day off. Restaurants and some shops may be open, but most businesses are closed.

Finland became independent in 1917, so Finland is more than a hundred years old. Independence Day was celebrated for the first time in 1919. But the biggest celebration was in 2017, when Finland turned 100 years old!

Finland’s Independence Day is a National Holiday

Independence Day is a national holiday in Finland, so most people have the day off. Restaurants and some shops may be open, but most businesses are closed.

Finns usually celebrate independence day at their homes, or with friends or family. People might make something special for dinner, light the white and blue candles and raise the Finnish flag. Independence Day is one of the Finnish flag flying day. Flag should be raised at 8am and lowered at 8pm.

Image by Ilari Järvinen / Finnish Heritage Agency

There are more Reindeer than People in Lapland

You probably knew that reindeer live in Lapland. But did you know that in Finnish Lapland there are more reindeer than people

You probably knew that reindeer live in Lapland. But did you know that in Finnish Lapland there are more reindeer than people.

The population of Lapland is about 180 000, while the number of reindeer is around 200 000. So statistically there are better chances to meet a reindeer than another person in Lapland.

Where Can You See a Reindeer?

Reindeer are very social. Perhaps even more social than people. Because reindeer like to do everything together. They live, travel, eat and sleep together. So you hardly ever meet just one reindeer. There is usually a bunch. Or a herd as they are called. So if you see one reindeer crossing the road, be prepared that there might be others on their way. Remember this when driving in Lapland!

Another thing why you more likely meet people than reindeer in Lapland, is that reindeer prefer meadows and forests instead on villages and town. But as reindeer can roam freely almost anywhere in Lapland, it is not unusual to meet a reindeer even on a street corner.

But one thing is for sure. If you visit Lapland, you’ll most likely see a reindeer. Or better yet, a herd of reindeer!

What is the Polar Night

Polar night is an interesting phenomenon that you can experience only in the northernmost and southernmost parts of the Earth. But what is the polar night?

Polar night is an interesting phenomenon that you can experience only in the northernmost and southernmost parts of the Earth. But what is the polar night?

What is the Polar Night

Polar night is a natural phenomenon where the Sun doesn’t rise at all during the day. It just stays hidden below the horizon. This time of darkness can be experienced during winter in the areas north of the arctic circle, or south of the antarctic circle.

Just as the sun stays visible the whole day during the summer solstice, it stays hidden during the winter solstice. The lenght of the phenomenon depends on how far north you are. The summer phenomenon is known as the midnight sun or polar day, while the winter phenomenon is known as polar night.

It’s “Kaamos” in Finland

In Finland polar night is called “kaamos”. You can experience it in the Northern Finland, in Lapland. On the arctic circle the polar night lasts one day around winter solstice on December 21st (or 22nd). But in the northernmost parts of the Finland it lasts for 51 days. The Sun sets below horizon in late November and and doesn’t appear again until late January.

Think of the feeling when after you have lived almost two months in the without seeing the Sun, it finally appears again. It must feel amazing!

Source:
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Image:
Arto Komulainen / Lapin Materiaalipankki