Sky over Adélie ( Ciel de Terre Adélie ), TAAF

Between this post and the last blog post there are at least 20+ Aurora related stamps that have been released by many postal administrations. I was completely on a collection-spree and not utilizing time to devote on this blog which I started with so much enthusiasm. Covid-19 related lock-down have kept me spending time indoors which finally gave some opportunity to dedicate time on this blog.

In January 2020, La Poste (French post) released this beautiful miniature sheet representing French overseas territory "French Southern and Antarctic Territories" often refereed as TAAF ( French: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises).

The sheet features the Adélie Land, French claimed territory in the continent of Antarctic which was discovered in 1840 by the French explorer and naval officer Jules Dumont d'Urville (1790–1842) who explored the south and western Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica. Dumont d'Urville named this land after his wife, Adèle. In 1950 first Antarctic expedition station was setup in Adélie Land in the name of Dumont d’Urville and remains as one of the active expedition stations in the Antarctic region. Emperor penguins, Adélie penguins and few varieties of Petrels are found in this region.

The sheet represents a beautiful illustration of the magical phenomenon Aurora Australis in the sky of Adélie Land along with 2 penguins in the foreground. Polar lights in the northern hemisphere around Arctic regions are called as Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis and in the southern hemisphere around Antarctic as Southern Lights or Aurora Australis.

The sheet is tagged under unusual stamps category. The sheet when moved towards/back will glitter with bright white dots as if stars are glittering in the sky. 
Pls check this video :
https://ne-np.facebook.com/LaVecchiaScatola/videos/679118315956308/ 

The miniature sheet has 2 captions : "Ciel de Terre Adélie" (English: Sky over Adélie) and inside the stamp "Aurore Australe - Dumont d'Urville" (English: Aurora Australis - Dumont of Urville).

This stamp is only valid when departing from French overseas terriorty French Southern and Antarctic Territories, but a wonderful collectible for passionate collectors.

Northern Lights from Sweden

Somewhere in the mid of this year, I came across a post in social network that one of the photographer's shots on Northern Lights made it to the Sweden's 2016 stamp programme. That made me to wait and watch for the release of this splendid work on Northern Lights. ( Aurora Borealis )

On November 10th 2016, Sweden post issued 3 philatelic products on Northern Lights - a set of 5 stamps, a FDC and a wonderful collectors sheet. All these 5 stamps are astonishingly beautiful portraying great art work on Northern Lights, reminding us the grand instance of nature's astronomical phenomenon. It also features the location - latitude and longitude ( 63 degree N and 14 degree E ) of where these photos were actually taken, in addition to a special mention of photographer name - Göran Strand.

Göran hails from Östersund, Sweden and it seems photography and astronomy are a huge part of his life. Being an astronomer his photos on astrophotograhy have been published in National Geographic, NASA and as well as other international magazines. I can't imagine how proud he will be to see his photography bringing him a world wide honor.

Göran relies on digital 35mm camera with a wide-angle lens for these amazing images since the Northern Lights drape themselves across such a large part of the sky. ”Besides astrophotography at night, I am also fascinated by the different daytime phenomena in the sky, such as rainbows, halos and interesting cloud formations. Light, in all of its forms, is a passion" says Göran in the November 2016 bulletin of Stamps News, Sweden.

His excellent works can be found at Göran Strand

Polar Lights by USPS

During my stay in US, I never had an opportunity to watch aurora borealis aka Northern Lights but hoping may be in next trip I doesn't want to miss it. In fact I came to know that polar lights phenomenon is possible in US only through stamps.

USPS released a set of two 41 cents stamps in 2007 featuring aurora borealis ( Northern Lights ) and aurora australis ( Southern Lights ). The photograph of the aurora borealis, the northern lights featured in these stamps, was made by Fred Hirschmann of Wasilla, AK. It shows the northern lights over the Talkeetna Mountains in Alaska. The photograph of the aurora australis, a phenomenon of the southern polar region, was made by Per-Andre Hoffmann of Stuttgart, Germany who resides in Manila, Philippines. The header image on the pane of stamps ( 20 stamps sheet ) is a photograph of the aurora borealis by LeRoy Zimmerman of Ester, AK. Phil Jordan of Falls Church, VA, was artistic designer. 

80 million were printed and plenty are still available in market. Go, get yours, frame it and bring this phenomenon to your living room or where ever you like.

For more details click the link Aurora by USPS

2014 - Australia Post - Southern Lights

If colors don't inspire, then what else can ? Look at the Southern Lights ( Aurora Australis ), are they not jaw dropping phenomenon, only fortunate to be visible in few countries. Australia Post is one of the pioneers in coming up with amazing stamps on a wide variety of subjects. Full credits to them. For 2014 I suppose this could be the grand release.

Set of 4 Stamps

Issued on 23rd August the release features 11 varieties such as set of 4 stamps, mini-sheet, a wonderful maxi-card set, stamp-medallion cover, postcard, coles-bay, booklet, gutter strip etc. Sometimes we get that overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration looking at these beautiful stamps. The photographs in the design were taken in Tasmania as reported by Auspost. Well, one can wish to see both Borealis and Australis once in our their lifetime.

Maxicard Set of 4

Minisheet

Norway Post - Northern Lights

Yet again another Norwegian Stamp, but sorry !!!! 

Stamps are always referred to reflect history, sometimes a bit of geography too. One such example is this beautiful personalised stamp of Northern lights pictured above Bleikøya in Andøy, Norway. Aurora tourism in Norway has become a huge hit as Travel, Photography magazines and on-line photography communities are flooded with articles. One such article indicates that the tourism in Norway has doubled that too in winter and the reason cited as experiencing Northern Lights. A popular TV show named "Jakten på Nordlyset” ( Hunting Northern Lights ) is another factor related to this huge increase. 

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But here all the credit goes to Norway post for this release at a time when I was starving for one. Being released on 16th May 2014, the release was so generous in the sense it had varieties such as single set ( Pic # 1 ) ,  Golden FDC ( Pic # 2 ) which is called as "Rolls Royce of First Day Covers, FDC - First day covers ( Pic # 3 ) , Maximum card ( Pic # 4 ), 4/8 block, Collectors Sheet, Sheet with 20 stamps, Presentation pack 4/8 block. One of the key things I was hugely impressed is the design of the first day cover seal. Photo Credit goes to Roy Samuelsen. 

Already in possession of this beautiful stamp, now with a huge sigh I add this to my bucket list. what are you waiting for ?

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Aurora Borealis on QR Code - 2012, Iceland

QR code on a postage stamp, don't be surprised. Iceland Post in 2012  released a stamp portraying their major tourist attraction Northern lights combined with QR code as part of their "Visit Iceland" - EUROPA stamps series. EUROPA stamps are special stamps issued by European postal administrations/enterprises and bears the official EUROPA logo. Till date there are 52 members part of the PostEurop trade association and it continues to grow every year.

Iceland post being the first to combine a motif with a QR code is an excellent representation of embracing technology and exhibiting the main intent, tourism in a crisp and simpler way.

Aurora, ( Northern lights ) one of the important tourist attractions of Iceland could be the best choice for anyone who craves for natural and wonderful atmospheric phenomenon with patterns of green, blue, yellow and pink lights gliding in the cold winter sky.

Initially I didn't want back to back blogs featuring the same country but due to the uniqueness and simplicity of this stamp I can't resist.

Nordia 2013 - Aurora Borealis, Iceland

Aurora is a wonderful natural phenomenon that occurs in the sky privileged only to the high altitude regions of the Earth. The lighting effect in the northern latitudes is known as Aurora Borealis and in the southern latitudes as Aurora Australis.

Capturing Aurora through photography needs perseverance and especially luck as these are bound to occur with many specific conditions such as geographic location, solar activity, weather and clear dark sky. The luminous glow is often associated to green and red colors in the sky.

Collecting stamps on Formula one being the foremost hobby, the stamps on these amazing natural phenomenon was really enticing and there is no reason how easily I took this as my second foremost theme.

  

Iceland post during the NORDIA 2013 - Nordic stamp exhibition that took place in Ásgarður Sports Center, Garðabær, issued a souvenir sheet of 4 stamps on Aurora Borealis also known as Northern Lights. The pictures on these 4 stamps displays bright occurrence of this spectacular phenomenon which could be definitely as a result of professional photography.