Aurora borealis and a full moon

Sitting at the computer last night, I had given up any hope that we’d have any good aurora this weekend, so I started writing a trip plan for 2015. I flipped to my tab with the RGB real-time camera stationed at Poker Flat in Chatanika and the sky suddenly turned green. Only a few minutes before it was blank. I grabbed my camera and tripod and ran out the door, for what turned out to be a 3 hour long walk in -20° F temps (some of the coldest we’ve had this year).

The full moon illuminated our snow-covered forest. It was magical.

This is me and my family. I love my family.

Snow-draped birch trees under the Northern Lights

Snow covered taiga with some aurora borealis

The scenery with the bright moonlight and northern lights was simply spectacular.

Of course, the northern lights erupted in brightness when I was walking along a narrow trail. It was hard to find a spot to actually see some of the sky in time.

I finally made my way home to catch the end of the Saturday Night Live re-run. While editing some of these photos another bright band whipped down from the north. I slipped on my boots. They were soaking wet. Some snow got in earlier and I didn’t notice. Every step sloshed. Walking down the road for a second time; slosh, slosh, slosh. I cringed, turned around, and just took a few photos from our front porch.