The heavens were beautiful last night … the stars and Northern Lights were amazing on a clear moonless night. The Aurora was not forecast, but was enjoyed very much. I was standing on a frozen lake in northern Minnesota miles and miles away from any light pollution when I took this photographs. It is a shame most folks now live in areas where they truly can not see the true glory of the night sky. The reflections in the first image are caused by refrozen snow melt on an ice road used by local fishermen.
In this second image I just wanted folks to see how the sky looked when I knew to jump out of the car and get ready for a solar sub-storm. Over the course a few minutes the Aurora glow visibly intensified and told me it was time to take my viewing spot (i.e. get out of the car and walk out onto the lake … Molly and I were parked at the beginning of the ice road at the end of the boat launch). The “dance” lasted ten minutes at 11:30 pm. We had driven 40 minutes from our home, and spent an hour and forty minutes at the lake. At midnight we drove home.
My Sony A6300 camera settings were: Rokinon 16 mm wide angle lens, ISO = 3200, Aperture = 2.8, Exposure = 8 seconds.
I had no idea you can see them in Minnesota. Thank you for sharing – so beautiful.
How did you know to go out? So stunningly beautiful!
Barb … read the Northern Lights page on this blog … accessed from the menubar. It explains how to figure out when the Aurora might shine.
Many thanks–we are so far south as to almost never get good auroras. I hear you met my photo friend Rusty Ketelsen from Ida Grove. Don
Nice guy! We watched a Great Gray together!
I am coming to Two Harbors area 1st week in April. will there still be Owls around Duluth area/Sax Zim Bog?
We have native owls of many species which live in Northeastern Minnesota. As the amount of daylight gets longer, and hunting gets easier after the cold winter months, finding owls becomes increasingly difficult. The best way to locate owls in the spring as to go out hiking at night and listen for owl’s singing (hooting). Triangulate with your ears, and revisit daylight.
Glorious! Thanks for sharing.