<head id="NEST_Norno.h1">Nordlys fra oldtid til opplysningstid</head> <head id="NEST_Nor_012en.h1">Northern Lights from ancient history to the age of enlightenment</head>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s1">De eldste nordlysbeskrivelser</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s1">The oldest descriptions of the Northern Lights</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s2">De eldste norske skriftlige kilder g�r tilbake til ca. �r 1000.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s2">The oldest Norwegian written sources date back to about year 1000.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s3">For � komme enda lenger tilbake i historien kan vi g� til middelhavslandene og Kina.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s3">To go further back in history we can go to the Mediterranean countries and China.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s4">Fordi nordlyset hovedsakelig opptrer over polomr�dene, har oldtidens filosofer ved middelhavslandene og i Kina i beste fall sett noen f� nordlysutbrudd.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s4">Since the Northern Lights appear mainly in the polar regions, ancient philosophers from the Mediterranean countries and China in rare cases have seen some few aurora outbreaks.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s5">Det er ikke mulig � tidfeste n�yaktig n�r det f�rste nordlyset ble sett.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s5">It is not possible to give the exact date the first Northern light was seen.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s6">Noen mener, kanskje med god grunn, at en del av de eldgamle graveringer som er funnet i flere grotter langs Middelhavet, illustrerer nordlys.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s6">According to some of them, some of the ancient engravings that were found in several graves along the Mediterranean sea illustrate Northern Lights.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s7">Tidlige beskrivelser av nordlys finnes sannsynligvis i Det gamle testamentet.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s7">Previous descriptions of the Northern Lights exist probably in the old testament.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s8">Vi tar med et kort utdrag fra f�rste kapittel hos Esekiel (ca. 593 f.Kr.):</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s8">Here is a short excerpt from the first chapter in the book of Ezekiel (ca.11593 B.C)</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s9">I et syn fikk jeg se et stormv�r som kom fra nord, en stor sky med flammende ild.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s9">In a vision, I saw a great storm coming from the north, a great cloud of a burning fire.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s10">Det str�lte og skinte omkring den, og midt inne i ilden blinket noe som skinnende metall.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s10">It flashed and shone with brightness about it, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like a gleaming metal.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s11">Midt i den viste det seg likesom fire levende skikkelser ...</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s11">Four living creatures appeared in the middle.....</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s12">Men hver av dem hadde fire ansikter og fire vinger.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s12">But each of them had four faces and four wings.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s13">Deres ben var rette, fotbladene var som kalveklover, og de skinte som blankt kobber ...</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s13">Their legs were straight and the sole of their feet resembled the hooves of a calf, and they shone like burnished copper....</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s14">Over hodene p� skikkelsene var det noe som lignet en hvelving.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s14">There was something in the likeness of a firmament that was over the heads of the creatures.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s15">Det s� ut som blendede krystall ...</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s15">It looked like a dazzling crystal...</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s16">Jeg s� noe som lignet skinnende metall, det var som ild med en ring av lys omkring ...</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s16">I saw something that looked liked a shiny metal, like fire with brightness round about....</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s17">Og glansen omkring s� ut som buen i skyen en dag det regnet.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s17">And the bright circle of light around it looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s18">Ingen d�rlig beskrivelse av et nordlysutbrudd.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s18">Not a bad description of the Northern Light.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s19">Det finnes flere, for eksempel Jeremia (1:13) og Sakaria (1:8), som kan ha omtalt nordlys, men ingen er s� overbevisende som Esekiel.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s19">There are more, for example Jeremiah (1:13) and Zechariah (1:8) have mentioned the Northern lights, but none of them was so convincing as Ezekiel.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s20">I Kina finnes det et relativt stort, gammelt materiale om nordlys.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s20">In China, there are relatively lot of data on the Northern Lights.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s21">I tidsrommet mellom �r 100 og 1000 er et par hundre nordlys omtalt med mange fantastiske illustrasjoner.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s21">In the period between year 100 and 1000, a few hundreds of Northern Lights were mentioned with a lot of fantastic illustrations.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s22">Den f�rste beskrivelsen g�r trolig tilbake til �r 208 f.Kr.</s> <s id="NEST_Norno.s23">Et kort avsnitt fra en kinesisk beskrivelse av nordlyset sett for ca. 2000 �r siden, lyder omtrent slik:</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s22">The first description can be traced to the year 208 B.C. A short paragraph from the Chinese description of the Northern Light seen in about 2000 years ago, goes like this:</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s24">Om natten ble det sett lysende skyer, gule og hvite, med lange str�ler som lyste opp bakken.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s23">At night, shiny clouds were seen, yellow and white with long rays that lit up the ground.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s25">Noen sier at det er himmelens sverd, mens andre tror det er dype hull, med store flammer, i himmelen.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s24">According to some people it is the heaven sword while others think there is a deeper hole, with large flames in the sky.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s26">Hva oldtidens filosofer mente om nordlyset</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s25">What the ancient philosophers said about the Northern Light</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s27">For at vi skal f� et inntrykk av nordboernes kunnskap om nordlyset i forhold til oppfatninger i de mer �skolerte� kulturer i Syd-Europa, gir vi f�rst et kort resym� over forskjellige teorier lansert f�r vikingtiden.</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s26">In order to get an impression of the knowledge shared by Nordic citizens on the Northern Lights in comparison to the perceptions of the enlightened cultures of the South, a short summary of the different theories launched in the era of the Vikings is presented.</s>

<s id="NEST_Norno.s28">En av de f�rste som fors�kte � forklare himmellysningen var Anaximedes (ca. 570-526 f.Kr.).</s> <s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s27">Anaximedes (ca. 570

<head id="NEST_Norno.h1">Nordlys fra oldtid til opplysningstid</head>	<head id="NEST_Nor_012en.h1">Northern Lights from ancient history to the age of enlightenment</head>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s1">De eldste nordlysbeskrivelser</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s1">The oldest descriptions of the Northern Lights</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s2">De eldste norske skriftlige kilder g�r tilbake til ca. �r 1000.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s2">The oldest Norwegian written sources date back to about year 1000.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s3">For � komme enda lenger tilbake i historien kan vi g� til middelhavslandene og Kina.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s3">To go further back in history we can go to the Mediterranean countries and China.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s4">Fordi nordlyset hovedsakelig opptrer over polomr�dene, har oldtidens filosofer ved middelhavslandene og i Kina i beste fall sett noen f� nordlysutbrudd.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s4">Since the Northern Lights appear mainly in the polar regions, ancient philosophers from the Mediterranean countries and China in rare cases have seen some few aurora outbreaks.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s5">Det er ikke mulig � tidfeste n�yaktig n�r det f�rste nordlyset ble sett.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s5">It is not possible to give the exact date the first Northern light was seen.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s6">Noen mener, kanskje med god grunn, at en del av de eldgamle graveringer som er funnet i flere grotter langs Middelhavet, illustrerer nordlys.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s6">According to some of them, some of the ancient engravings that were found in several graves along the Mediterranean sea illustrate Northern Lights.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s7">Tidlige beskrivelser av nordlys finnes sannsynligvis i Det gamle testamentet.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s7">Previous descriptions of the Northern Lights exist probably in the old testament.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s8">Vi tar med et kort utdrag fra f�rste kapittel hos Esekiel (ca. 593 f.Kr.):</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s8">Here is a short excerpt from the first chapter in the book of Ezekiel (ca.11593 B.C)</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s9">I et syn fikk jeg se et stormv�r som kom fra nord, en stor sky med flammende ild.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s9">In a vision, I saw a great storm coming from the north, a great cloud of a burning fire.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s10">Det str�lte og skinte omkring den, og midt inne i ilden blinket noe som skinnende metall.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s10">It flashed and shone with brightness about it, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like a gleaming metal.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s11">Midt i den viste det seg likesom fire levende skikkelser ...</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s11">Four living creatures appeared in the middle.....</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s12">Men hver av dem hadde fire ansikter og fire vinger.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s12">But each of them had four faces and four wings.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s13">Deres ben var rette, fotbladene var som kalveklover, og de skinte som blankt kobber ...</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s13">Their legs were straight and the sole of their feet resembled the hooves of a calf, and they shone like burnished copper....</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s14">Over hodene p� skikkelsene var det noe som lignet en hvelving.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s14">There was something in the likeness of a firmament that was over the heads of the creatures.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s15">Det s� ut som blendede krystall ...</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s15">It looked like a dazzling crystal...</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s16">Jeg s� noe som lignet skinnende metall, det var som ild med en ring av lys omkring ...</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s16">I saw something that looked liked a shiny metal, like fire with brightness round about....</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s17">Og glansen omkring s� ut som buen i skyen en dag det regnet.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s17">And the bright circle of light around it looked like the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s18">Ingen d�rlig beskrivelse av et nordlysutbrudd.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s18">Not a bad description of the Northern Light.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s19">Det finnes flere, for eksempel Jeremia (1:13) og Sakaria (1:8), som kan ha omtalt nordlys, men ingen er s� overbevisende som Esekiel.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s19">There are more, for example Jeremiah (1:13) and Zechariah (1:8) have mentioned the Northern lights, but none of them was so convincing as Ezekiel.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s20">I Kina finnes det et relativt stort, gammelt materiale om nordlys.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s20">In China, there are relatively lot of data on the Northern Lights.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s21">I tidsrommet mellom �r 100 og 1000 er et par hundre nordlys omtalt med mange fantastiske illustrasjoner.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s21">In the period between year 100 and 1000, a few hundreds of Northern Lights were mentioned with a lot of fantastic illustrations.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s22">Den f�rste beskrivelsen g�r trolig tilbake til �r 208 f.Kr.</s> <s id="NEST_Norno.s23">Et kort avsnitt fra en kinesisk beskrivelse av nordlyset sett for ca. 2000 �r siden, lyder omtrent slik:</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s22">The first description can be traced to the year 208 B.C. A short paragraph from the Chinese description of the Northern Light seen in about 2000 years ago, goes like this:</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s24">Om natten ble det sett lysende skyer, gule og hvite, med lange str�ler som lyste opp bakken.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s23">At night, shiny clouds were seen, yellow and white with long rays that lit up the ground.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s25">Noen sier at det er himmelens sverd, mens andre tror det er dype hull, med store flammer, i himmelen.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s24">According to some people it is the heaven sword while others think there is a deeper hole, with large flames in the sky.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s26">Hva oldtidens filosofer mente om nordlyset</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s25">What the ancient philosophers said about the Northern Light</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s27">For at vi skal f� et inntrykk av nordboernes kunnskap om nordlyset i forhold til oppfatninger i de mer �skolerte� kulturer i Syd-Europa, gir vi f�rst et kort resym� over forskjellige teorier lansert f�r vikingtiden.</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s26">In order to get an impression of the knowledge shared by Nordic citizens on the Northern Lights in comparison to the perceptions of the enlightened cultures of the South, a short summary of the different theories launched in the era of the Vikings is presented.</s>
<s id="NEST_Norno.s28">En av de f�rste som fors�kte � forklare himmellysningen var Anaximedes (ca. 570-526 f.Kr.).</s>	<s id="NEST_Nor_012en.s27">Anaximedes (ca. 570