When the Northern Lights were measured with pencil and geometry

In the winter of 1838-39, a French scientific expedition arrived in Northern Norway and the Altafjord to study natural phenomena in the High North. The expedition was led by the French naval physician and naturalist Paul Gaimard, and is later known as the Gaimard expedition, or La Recherche expedition after the ship that was used. The voyage was part of the Commission scientifique du Nord, a French government initiative aimed at [...]...

Halde or Haldde?

The discussion about whether to write «Halde» or «Haldde» has been going on for many years, and there are many emotions attached to this local place name. As with many other places in Finnmark, the name is influenced by several languages, such as Norwegian, Kven and Sami. According to the Language Council, there are no historical sources that document the use of the spelling «Haldde» [...].

The letter from Sem Sæland

In 1899, Sem Sæland sends a letter home to his brother. He is one of three researchers who wintered on Talviktoppen that year. The letter gives you a little insight into what life on the summit could be like.