Aurora borealis, Tasiilaq, Greenland

© Shane P. White/Minden Picture

Info. Tasiilaq, Greenland

It's said that explorer Erik the Red gave Greenland its deceptively pleasant name over 1,000 years ago to attract unwitting settlers to the snowy subcontinent. The Viking leader wasn't being completely dishonest, though: At this time of year, Greenland’s night sky is regularly illuminated by the green glow of the aurora borealis. This bright display was pictured in Tasiilaq, the largest settlement on Greenland’s east coast. Tasiilaq is home to about 2,000 people, but it is one of the island’s fastest-growing towns.