MS Trollfjord Captures Rare Pulsating Northern Lights Display
The sighting shows how Arctic cruise voyages can double as scientific watchposts, capturing fleeting space-weather behavior that is rarely seen so clearly.
Hurtigruten said footage shot from the MS Trollfjord captured a rare pulsating Northern Lights display over northern Norway on Feb. 22, 2026, during a sailing near Narvik. The company described the event, filmed by Chief Aurora Chaser Tom Kerss and brought to light in April during an end-of-season video review, as one of the longest pulsating auroras on record.
Such displays typically last 10 to 20 minutes, Hurtigruten said. This one lasted hours. It followed a strong auroral substorm, with pink and green pulses visible well after midnight.
Kerss, who Hurtigruten said has chased the Northern Lights for more than 18 years, called the occurrence “one of the most profound sightings of my career.” He said it was apparent to the naked eye that the display was unusual, with visible pulsing and shifting color from the ship’s open deck in Arctic Norway.
“The footage captures not just the beauty, but rare detail that offers real scientific insight,” Kerss said.
NASA describes pulsating auroras as patchy northern or southern lights that switch on and off every few seconds rather than holding steady arcs. The process is tied to energetic electrons striking Earth’s upper atmosphere. Wave activity in the magnetosphere, particularly chorus waves, guides electrons along magnetic field lines.
Kerss has led Hurtigruten’s Astronomy Voyages since 2023, and the company named him its Chief Aurora Chaser in 2024. The Astronomy Voyages are winter Norwegian Coastal Express sailings within Hurtigruten’s 10-ship coastal Norway operation, usually following the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen route with onboard lectures, guided deck stargazing and a Tromsø planetarium visit.
Hurtigruten commonly lists its aurora-season sailings from November to March, with some eligibility extending from late September to March. For voyages of 11 days or more, the line says guests may receive a free six- or seven-day voyage if the aurora does not appear within sight of the ship, subject to its stated terms.
