Entertainment

Many people have heard of Aurora Borealis–the Northern Lights. Not as well known are the Aurora Australis–the Southern Lights. The Southern Lights can only be viewed regularly in a few places around the world–Tasmania, New Zealand, and here in Antarctica! They are best viewed in winter (when the days are shorter) on clear nights. But keep in mind that since we are in the Southern Hemisphere, winter generally means from March to September.

Auroras are caused when electrons from way up in the Earth’s magnetosphere fall down and collide with atoms–oxygen atoms to be exact. Red auroras occur when electrons fall from really high altitudes–200 to 500 kilometers, whereas green auroras occur from relatively low altitudes–100 to 250 kilometers. The light is made visible when the atoms return to their original unexcited state. Increased activity in the sun leads to an increase in geomagnetic storms and then to greater auroral activity. Photographing auroras isn’t easy; the best images are taken by cameras with long exposures and fast film.

The 10-minute Southern Lights display begins with a fall sunset, one that is low in the sky due to the longness of the night. Stars become visible in the night sky. Then the Southern Lights appear–first a little of the green in the bottom right corner but within a few seconds, some of the reds higher up on the screen. The auroras flare-up and then diminish and dance across the screen almost without rhyme or reason. At times, nothing on the screen is illuminated, at other times almost all of it is. Two songs make up the display portion: the first called “Light Up the Dark Winter”--a slow and mostly instrumental song that gets more cheerful as the song goes on (and with some elements of “When You Wish Upon a Star” and the other called “The Frozen Land”--an uplifting song similar to “Canada, (You’re a Lifetime Journey)” from the “O, Canada!” film at Epcot.

Following the completion of the display, the narrator comes on once again. “As you have witnessed, the Southern Lights are especially beautiful and breath-taking here at the South Pole Outpost. However, the continued enjoyment into the future may be impacted negatively by others who contribute to light and environmental pollution. Antarctica needs the help of everyone to protect the Southern Lights and all of its natural resources.

Other Entertainment Offerings

“Joe the Juggler” is the coolest juggler in the world! He is a wage-earning employee of AtomiCo but is also paid a stipend to entertain all employees involved in the Enderby Cove Project, especially during the long winter months. He can be found roaming around Tundraland especially near Tundra Mountain. Joe juggles things that look cold: snowballs, small ice statues, and popsicles. The items are, in fact, just props but Joe fakes out the guests into thinking that he is just one catch away from frostbite. He will fulfill every request you ask of him except one–don’t ask him what he does for a day job!