Chasing the Aurora: The Remarkable Journey of Karl Lemström

Have you ever gazed at the night sky and wondered about the mesmerizing colors dancing across it? The aurora borealis, with its ethereal glow, has captivated hearts and sparked curiosity for centuries. But did you know that the quest to understand this celestial phenomenon led one man to the frigid peaks of Lapland in the late 19th century? Meet Karl Lemström, a determined Finnish physicist on a mission to unravel the mystery of the northern lights. His tale is as much about scientific endeavor as it is about the human spirit pushing against the odds.

An Unlikely Voyager

The date was December 29, 1882, and Lemström was far from comfortable. He lugged his equipment down a snowy mountain after hours of hiking and experimenting in temperatures plummeting well below zero. Exhausted yet invigorated, this was not his first grueling trek in search of knowledge. Just weeks earlier, he had stood atop a mountain, convinced he had created a man-made version of the aurora borealis.

Lemström’s infatuation with the northern lights started at 30, during a scientific expedition to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Hailing from southern Finland, he’d witnessed this natural marvel before, but nothing compared to the vivid displays he saw in the Arctic. His obsession took root, and he became committed to cracking the enigma behind the auroras.

The Great Debate

In Lemström’s time, the scientific community was divided on the origins of the aurora borealis. Some believed it was meteoric dust set ablaze by Earth’s magnetic field, while others leaned toward electromagnetic phenomena. Lemström belonged to the latter group. He was convinced that the electrified atmosphere at high altitudes created these glowing displays when electricity flowed from the air into the ground—especially at colder mountain summits.

But many dismissed him as eccentric. Fiona Amery, a historian of science at the University of Cambridge, notes that Lemström’s contemporaries considered him somewhat of a maverick. Perhaps, as he roamed the mountains, he was just in search of the validation he longed for.

Constructing a Dream

In 1871, Lemström was appointed as a lecturer at Imperial Alexander University (now the University of Helsinki) and saw his chance to pursue his dream. He secured funding from the Finnish Society of Science and set out on an expedition to the Inari region of Finnish Lapland. On November 22, he set up a vast apparatus on the mountain Luosmavaara—a spiral of copper wire mounted on steel poles meant to channel atmospheric electricity.

Imagine the scene: a determined scientist, dressed in heavy winter gear, painstakingly assembling his equipment in a landscape dominated by towering snow-capped peaks. According to Amery, “He saw the aurora as a sister phenomenon to lightning,” believing he could attract it just as one might harness a bolt from the skies.

The First Glimmers

When Lemström finally completed his apparatus, he witnessed what he believed was the birth of an artificial aurora. He recorded a soaring column of light rising into the sky, which he claimed matched the distinct yellow-green hue of natural auroras. However, without photographic evidence or independent witnesses, his claims were met with skepticism. Who would take the word of a man viewed as fringe?

But fortune had other plans. In 1879, the International Polar Commission began its ambitious project known as the International Polar Year, which provided funding for various aurora-related research. This marked a turning point for Lemström; he urgently lobbied for a meteorological station in Lapland, which was soon established near the small town of Sodankylä.

Against the Odds

As the first director of the Finnish Meteorological Observatory, Lemström wasted no time in reviving his aurora experiments. He settled on a new location, Orantunturi Mountain, and enlisted three assistants to help him haul heavier equipment amid extreme winter conditions. They faced conditions that would challenge even the hardiest of souls, with temperatures hovering around -30°C (-22°F) and just a few hours of dim daylight.

The odds seemed stacked against them. Lemström often found himself battling the elements—defrosting wires that froze solid and repairing his gear under extreme duress. Yet, the team pressed on. On December 5, just days after setting up, they observed a strange yellow-white light around the summit of Orantunturi, shining where none had been seen before.

The significance of this light wasn’t lost on them; it appeared consistent with natural auroras. In the days that followed, they witnessed similar phenomena, culminating in an unforgettable display on December 29 that shot 134 meters into the night sky.

The Breakthrough Notification

By early 1883, Lemström felt ready to share his findings. He telegrammed the Finnish Academy of Science, which quickly disseminated news of his groundbreaking observations. Major science journal Nature published several of his reports asserting that his experiments “clearly and undeniably prove” the electrical nature of the aurora borealis.

Despite his exciting revelations, reality swiftly set in. Many skeptics questioned his claims and some even dismissed his results as mere tricks of light. In early 1884, Danish aurora expert Sophus Tromholt sought to replicate Lemström’s experiments in Iceland but found no evidence of auroras. Other attempts to reproduce his results only fueled skepticism.

A Lingering Legacy

Despite facing harsh criticism and setbacks—like using stronger wires that failed to yield more favorable results—Lemström remained undeterred. He kept working on his theories; even embarked on a new adventure involving the use of electricity to stimulate crop growth.

Karl Lemström passed away in 1904, still firmly believing he had created artificial auroras. But the truth is less romantic: the aurora borealis originates from cosmic particles colliding with the atmosphere rather than emanating from the Earth itself. Some theorists suggest that what Lemström may have witnessed was St. Elmo’s fire, a luminous electrical discharge. Yet, with no definitive proof, we may never know.

A Reflection on Dreams and Determination

Lemström’s journey reminds us all that the pursuit of knowledge often involves venturing into uncharted territories—sometimes literally. His tale speaks to anyone who’s had a dream that faced skepticism or laughter. It teaches that passion often fuels persistence, even in the harshest conditions.

As we look to the skies—hopefully catching a glimpse of those shimmering auroras—we’re reminded of the vulnerable humans who dared to chase after them. Karl Lemström, despite not achieving the milestone he envisioned, left a legacy of curiosity, resilience, and the relentless quest for understanding our natural world.

What does this story say about our own journeys? It prompts us to look fiercely into the unknown. Just like Lemström did, we might just uncover something extraordinary.