Arctic Centre to name Northern Lights photo winners on Sept 29

The Arctic Centre’s photo competition on Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, is halfway through, with the announcement of the winners slated to be made on the September 29 European Researchers’ Night.

Arctic Centre sources said they have received about 150 photos of Northern Lights till the submission deadline.

“We have received about 150 photographs from about 50 photographers from home and abroad on the last day of submission. Three best photographers among them will be awarded,” Arctic Centre Science Communicator Ari Martin Laakso told the Daily Finland.

The organisers kept the criteria for taking part in the competition relaxed enough so that photos taken on any date and from any part were eligible for acceptance.

Laakso said, in addition to Finland, photographers from the Netherlands are in the competition – the first of its kind being held in Rovaniemi.

“A three-member jury comprising professional photographers has been formed which will select the best three photos,” said Laakso, adding the best three photographers will be announced on the European Researchers’ Night to be held at the Arktikum Science Centre.

The best photographer will get the opportunity to hold a photo exhibition in November, Laakso said.

The second winner will receive a prize money of EUR 300 and the third best will be awarded EUR 200.

On the Researchers’ Night, two presentations – one on “The science behind Northern Lights” and the other on “How to photograph the Northern Lights?” – will be held in separate sessions in both Finnish and English. The visitors including foreign tourists will be allowed to join in the sessions free of cost.

Laakso said, “Considering the interests of foreign visitors, the presentations will be taken place in separate sessions in English where about 150 people can participate in each session.”

The two-hour public programme will begin at 7.30 pm in Arktikum.

European Researchers’ Night is a science event that makes science and the work of scientists familiar to audiences all over Europe. It aims to answer people’s questions about science and research and to lead to new questions and answers.

The event takes place annually on the last Friday of September. This year the Researchers’ Night will be held in around 300 cities simultaneously across Europe on 29 September. It is possible to participate in the event in 14 locations in Finland, including Espoo, Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kajaani, Kuopio, Lahti, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Savonlinna, Sodankylä, Tampere, Turku, and Vantaa.

The European Researchers’ Night in Finland is a part of the “Finland 100 years” celebrations.