A Northern Night to Remember! Aurora Borealis Dance!

Year 3, ,

The forecast was perfect last night … a G2 Aurora Borealis Watch, No Moon & Clear Skies. Thus, I made the decision to drive 70 miles north of Duluth to the Isabella area. Not only is this area remote, within a few miles of the Canadian border, but it borders the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and is DARK! For 90 minutes I sat on a dock on a remote lake, waiting and hoping. The “Green Glow” was present, but I wanted a solar storm with light spikes. Shortly before midnight I was rewarded, and the Northern Lights continued to dance until dawn. I took the opportunity to check out some locations at which I had been wanting to try night photography. Here are the results … (also took some nice Milky Way photographs … will post those tomorrow)

Waiting … Selfie Under the Green Glow – Shallow Lake (12 miles NW of Isabella)
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The Aurora starts to Dance! (Shallow Lake)
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The Pagami Creek Wildfire Region (BWCA / Tomahawk Road 18 miles from Mn. Hwy #1)

Had been wanting to check out this entry point to the BWCA. A huge forest fire burned through this area in 2011. The forest is experiencing a rebirth. I often bird here, and had wanted to try some night photography. Mist is rolling in.

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Greenwood Lake Boat Access (Lake Cty #2)

Watch the sunrise, or the Northern Lights? Decisions, Decisions. Why not watch both! Given I desperately needed some sleep, I had actually pulled the car over at this boat launch shortly before 4 am because I desperately need some sleep, but God thought otherwise!

Isabella-Northern-Lights-Greenwood-Lake-Sunrise-4 Isabella-Northern-Lights-Greenwood-Lake-Sunrise-2-Selfie

 

4 thoughts on “A Northern Night to Remember! Aurora Borealis Dance!”

    1. One may view the Northern Lights year round in northern Minnesota, but in the middle of the summer the dark time of night is limited (2 hours after sunset to 2 hours before sunrise). In addition, through research NASA has determined the highest frequency of northern lights is near the spring and fall equinoxes. Uses my page of this blog devoted to the Northern Lights which has explanations of many forecast tools.

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  3. So amazing. Really words cannot describe. Thanks for going without sleep to get these awesome photos! ☺️

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