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A photographer has spent the past year hunting around his home country trying to find the best position to photograph the Northern Lights and capturing an array of spectacular images.

Pal Jakobsen, from Norway, has been braving the cold nights in the Narvik Region to chase the spectacular aurora lighting up the sky.

'Northern Lights cannot be described in words, it must be experienced,' Mr Jakobsen said.

Bright lights: Pal Jakobsen, from Norway, has been braving the cold nights in the Narvik Region to chase the spectacular aurora lighting up the sky

Stunning display: 'Northern Lights cannot be described in words, it must be experienced,' Mr Jakobsen said

Norway's varied landscape is considered a photographers dream with many locations for people to experience the Northern Lights

'All of the photos are taken in the Narvik region, which is about one hour by car from Tysfjord in the south to the Border Mountains to Sweden. In the north of Norway the aurora can be seen almost everywhere.'

Mr Jakobsen added: 'The Northern Lights can be either moving slowly or dancing quickly over the sky, depending on how powerful reaction that occurs when the charged particles from the sun hits the earth's atmosphere.'

The city of Narvik has a population of 19,000 and is located in Ofotfjorden, halfway between the Norwegian coast and the border mountains to Sweden.

The varied landscape is considered a photographers dream with many locations for people to experience the Northern Lights.

Narvik also offers further advantages with the city known to have more opportunities to find clear skies. 

Rainbow of colours: Pal said: 'People who experience the Northern Lights for the first time feel that they have experienced something great'

Emotional: The photographer said he has seen people crying and even being frightened after seeing the Northern Lights 

Spectacle: Scandinavian fishermen believed that the Northern Lights were the reflection of large shoals of herring in the North Sea

Mr Jakobsen said: 'I think that most people who experience the Northern Lights for the first time feel that they have experienced something great. 

'I have heard people starting to cry, some were even frightened when they saw the Northern Lights. I have also actually heard people say 'now I can die' after seeing the light for the first time.'

The photographer said in the old days, Scandinavian fishermen believed that the Northern Lights were the reflection of large shoals of herring in the North Sea. Other Scandinavian people believed that the Northern Lights were the reflection of a young woman's soul.

Mr Jakobsen said: 'Not long ago, kids were told not to wave white handkerchiefs to the Northern Lights because they could be caught by the light, which made it exciting to do just that.'

The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis, are the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere.

'Not long ago, kids were told not to wave white handkerchiefs to the Northern Lights because they could be caught by the light,' the photographer adds 

Aurora Borealis is the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere

Mr Jakobsen is now very experienced at shooting at night but admits the secret to his beautiful photography has been the increasing intensity of the Northern Lights

As the charged particles enter the earth's upper atmosphere, they encounter atoms of oxygen and nitrogen at altitudes from 20 to 200 miles above the earth's surface. The colour of the aurora depends on which atom is struck, and the altitude of the meeting.

Mr Jakobsen has become very experienced at shooting at night but admits the secret to his beautiful photography has been the increasing intensity of the Northern Lights.

He added: 'I have done night photography for years now, but photographing the Northern Lights has become more relevant and fun lately, which is mostly because the aurora has become stronger in these last years.'

Mr Jakobsen will be continuing his aurora hunting mission.

'The aurora has become stronger in these last years,' according to the photographer who hunted for a year before capturing these stunning images

The greatest show on earth: The photographer has used the archway in this photo to frame the beautiful Northern Lights display

Magical: The Northern Lights are a magical natural phenomenon that draw travellers from all over the world

Natural fireworks: The green Northern Lights 

Green sky at night: The incredible colours of the Northern Lights dominate the sky in this photo which was taken near the coast, 80km south of Narvik

The photographer, who hunted for a year for the perfect shot, reveals: 'I have actually heard people say "now I can die" after seeing the light for the first time.'

Special effects: The Northern Lights in this photo taken 80km south of Narvik in Norway look like something out of a sci-fi film

Pal Jakobsen, from Norway, has been braving the cold nights in the Narvik Region to chase the spectacular aurora lighting up the sky 

The stunning green Northern Lights is reflected in this lake at the border between Norway and Sweden 

Hunting for the perfect photo: The photographer waited for a year to capture these stunning shots of the aurora borealis

Electric skies: Pal Jakobsen's stunning images show the Northern Lights 10km north of Narvik

Breathtaking: The Northern Lights is reflected beautifully in this lake at the border mountain between Norway and Sweden

Perspective: As the Northern Lights fade in the background a person can be seen walking along the road in Norway

Stunning light display: The beautiful green Northern Lights are dispersed in the sky above the countryside in Norway