For many, seeing the Northern Lights is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you live in Northern Lapland, however, you can see the hazy beauty about every other clear night between September and March. Those in Southern Finland can catch views of the Aurora Borealis 10-20 nights per year. When you witness the Aurora Borealis, what you are actually seeing are collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth's atmosphere. The beautifully eerie glow can display itself in many colors, but pale green and pink are the more common.

Finland provides plenty of wonderful ways to enjoy the Northern lights that don't involve braving it in the dark, cold night. Perhaps the most famous is the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. The two- and four-person glass igloos make it possible to enjoy the beautiful views of Aurora Borealis from the comfort of your bed. The larger Kelo-glass igloos sleep up to six and come packed with a private sauna, fireplace and kitchenette. For those more into "roughing it," the resort also has snow igloos. It promises a cozy sleeping bag slumber with sound-blocking walls and remains a balmy -3 degrees to -6 degrees C even when Mercury dips to -40 degrees C.

Photos: Wilderness Hotel, Pertti Turunen