During my time in the Arctic, I witnessed not only the breathtaking Northern Lights but also another celestial marvel that remains underrated: polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). These rare and ethereal clouds, often overlooked, are among the most stunning sights the Arctic sky has to offer.
A Rare Arctic Phenomenon: More Than Just Northern Lights
Even rarer than the auroras, polar stratospheric clouds require extreme atmospheric conditions to form. They consist of ice crystals that appear in the stratosphere at temperatures around -80°C. Their vibrant colors—pink, purple, and golden hues—create an apocalyptic yet mesmerizing spectacle that has fascinated sky watchers for centuries.
Over my two seasons working in Lapland, I saw them countless times. These and other phenomena that grace the Arctic skies were, for me, blessings that made me feel like one of the luckiest people on the planet. After repeatedly gazing at the sky, phone in hand trying to capture photos, I started to wonder how people in the past would have interpreted these signs and what explanations they might have given.
From Omens to Awe: How We Perceive Celestial Phenomena Through Time
I also pondered whether the ancient inhabitants of this land saw these phenomena as positive or negative omens. Today, the Northern Lights and polar stratospheric clouds are regarded as representations of the natural beauty around us. Their appearance brings us only joy and happiness and gives us the chance to share stories with our loved ones. With the adoption of the scientific paradigm, we now understand how these phenomena form, and our civilization no longer needs to create mythical narratives to explain their origins.
However, it’s well known that in the past, many civilizations interpreted sky phenomena as omens of fate, which were not always positive. Sudden changes in the sky were often seen as signs of significant collective changes. These mythical explanations were hardly ever questioned, and people would constantly look to the sky for answers.
The Symbolism of the Sky in Ragnarök
Ancient civilizations saw the sky as a reflection of divine will. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, certain “signs in the sky” are mentioned as precursors to a series of catastrophes. In Norse mythology, there is also the concept of Ragnarök—the end of the world—which is accompanied by skies on fire and other anomalous phenomena in the heavens.
According to these civilizations, Ragnarök represents the final destiny of the gods and humanity, where the sky fills with ominous signs. Many of the phenomena described in these myths match those that occur in the Lapland region, especially during the winter. There is mention of a darkening sun, an endlessly long winter, and stars falling from the sky.
In this context, it’s easy to imagine that the polar stratospheric clouds could evoke the image of a completely disturbed sky. Their unusual and almost supernatural appearance likely led to their interpretation as omens of crisis or transformation in times of uncertainty.
Polar Clouds and Climate Change: A New Apocalypse
Another phenomenon that caught my attention was the difference in the frequency of these clouds last year versus this year. During my first season in Lapland, from November 2023 to March 2024, I saw them only twice. This season, however, I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve rushed out to capture photos of these clouds.
It wasn’t just me who noticed this change, but also my colleagues who have spent over three or four winters here. In light of this, I wondered whether these clouds could, just like in the past, be a forewarning of a catastrophe in the modern sense of the word. Perhaps we’re no longer talking about the literal end of the world, but instead about a different kind of change that could affect the entire planet.
Today, the increased frequency and visibility of stratospheric clouds are linked to climate change. These clouds are more common due to the growing presence of water vapor in the upper atmosphere, a phenomenon related to human activity.
For many, this phenomenon serves as a visual manifestation of humanity’s environmental impact and a warning about the consequences of global warming. From a symbolic perspective, these clouds could be seen as a new version of the “sky on fire.” But this time, it’s not divine intervention causing the chaos; it’s the result of human actions on the planet.
In this sense, there is no mythical or apocalyptic explanation, only a rational one that accounts for the abuse humans perpetuate on Earth. The coming tragedy is not the end of the world, but an irreversible change with consequences that we may not fully understand yet.
Conclusion
The modern paradigm allows us to formulate a rational explanation for what happens in the sky. In this way, certain celestial phenomena, like the appearance of stratospheric clouds, have lost their mythical meaning and gained a scientific one. We now know that these clouds are not omens of an impending catastrophe, but the result of ice particle formation in the stratosphere.
However, the possibility of providing a rational explanation doesn’t eliminate the chance to interpret them as negative signs. Today, we know that they do not signal the arrival of the apocalypse, but their recurring appearance is a direct consequence of the abuse we continue to inflict on our planet.
One last point I’d like to highlight is that the rationalization of this phenomenon has not diminished its beauty. In this sense, just like our ancestors, we can still look to the sky in awe and feel drawn to it. We no longer need to create myths to explain it or give it a deeper poetic meaning; we can simply admire it for what it is: a natural phenomenon.
Lastly, despite the secularization process and the fact that we live in a world that leaves little room for magic or mythification, it’s important to note that humans have never stopped looking to the sky for answers. In this sense, we have not abandoned our essence. We remain beings who surrender to the vastness of the universe and seek answers from something greater, whether through science or the stars.
If you are interested about the arctic and more phenomena related with life in Lapland, check out my article about the Polar Night!
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