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LEARN ABOUT SWEDEN

What are the two bright lights in the Swedish night sky?

No, they're not Russian drones or Chinese spy balloons. But what are those two bright lights you've seen hovering right next to each other in the Swedish sky?

Published: 3 March 2023 08:58 CET
What are the two bright lights in the Swedish night sky?
A photograph of Jupiter and Venus above an office building in Gothenburg. Photo: Arthur Silva

Many confused Swedes called the police last night about two mysterious dots in the night sky, and several regional police bodies have responded with articles informing the public that there is nothing to fear. 

“We have had patrols out to investigate whether the reported airborne activity is connected to crime, but can confirm that the police are unable to make any arrests,” reads a somewhat tongue-in-cheek statement from the police in Region Bergslagen.

“In these cases, the reports most probably concern the planets of Jupiter and Venus, which are currently in conjunction. This means that that they appear as two points of light close together which can be mistaken for a flying vehicle. Police are not going to take any more action to investigate this aerial activity.”

Venus (L) and Jupiter (R) rise together in a rare conjunction in the pre-dawn sky of August 18, 2014 in New York. The two planets were separated by about 0.25 degrees as viewed from Earth. Also seen are the moons of Jupiter (from top, R-L): Europa, Io, Callisto (close to planet) and Ganymede. The planets will appear farther apart each day but still relatively close together about 45 minutes before sunrise this week. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo by STAN HONDA / AFP)

A planetary conjunction occurs when two planets (or other celestial bodies, such as moons), appear to pass each other, due to the fact that they orbit around the sun in approximately the same plane.

Those wishing to see the phenomenon for themselves should study the sky just after dusk on Friday, Eva Wirström from Onsala Space Observatory told SVT, as the planets will move closer and closer to the horizon throughout the night.

From Saturday, she said, the conjunction would be over, with planets (as viewed from Sweden) starting to move further away from one another. 

Arthur Silva, a software developer based in Gothenburg, spotted the phenomenon on Thursday night and sent us the main photo used in this story. 

“I wonder if you guys have seen or know anything about two big and bright spots in the sky today,” he wrote. “At first I thought they were two airplanes. But they were not moving. I’m curious.”

Here’s Arthur Silva’s full photo:

Jupiter and Venus visible above an office building in Gothenburg. Photo: Arthur Silva

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LEARN ABOUT SWEDEN

How Sweden’s semlor buns are the ‘lifebuoy’ keeping bakeries afloat

Cafés and bakeries in Sweden are suffering as customers cut back on sourdough and cinnamon buns. But they still seem willing to splash out on semlor.

Published: 13 February 2024 11:38 CET
How Sweden's semlor buns are the 'lifebuoy' keeping bakeries afloat

Linda Kosterhed, at Kosterheds Konditori in Solna, Stockholm, expects to sell 1,500 of the cream and almond paste delights on Fettisdagen, as Swedes call Shrove Tuesday – traditionally the last day before the Lent fast. 

She’s had them on sale since January 2nd, but it’s on Fettisdagen itself that she expects her customers to really have a blow out. 

“It’s like Christmas, and those of us who are working are going to celebrate with a ‘semmel-AW’ [a Semla feast consumed after work]”. 

The Association of Swedish Bakers & Confectioners are referring to semlor as the industry’s “lifebuoy” due to their importance for its members’ bottom lines. 

“We have noticed that everyday consumption, like a sandwich and a cup of coffee, has fallen, but that on holidays such as fettisdagen, consumers are actually buying more than they normally do,” Mattias Lundell, the organisation’s chief executive, told the TT newswire. “I’ve heard that sales of semlor are going extremely well.”    

He said that the difficult times for bakers began with the pandemic, continued in the winter of 2022 when bakers were hit by high electricity prices, only to be followed last year with a cost of living crisis. 

Linda Kosterhed agrees with the picture painted by Lundell. 

“People are holding back a bit on ordinary days, but when it comes to semlor it’s clear that they are willing to spoil themselves a bit, especially on Tuesdays and on the weekend,” she said. 

Despite the semla “lifebuoy”, Lundell warned that more bakeries were currently going bankrupt than during the pandemic. He also said it might be a problem this year that Shrove Tuesday was falling so early on February 13th.  

“After Shrove Tuesday, sales normally fall more steeply than they rose in the run-up,” he said.

“What will happen this year when Shrove Tuesday falls so early?”

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