The Northern Lights

I took a nice drive to Elk Island National Park.  Being one of the few parks with a darker than usual sky, I was excited to bring my camera for this visit. Armed with only a few granola bars and my camera gear, I was ready. I was a bit early, as I had arrived to the park a couple hours before the sun was supposed to set, no big deal as this allowed me to explore a bit. I managed to get a little hiking in and explore Astotin Lake, after that it was time to scope out the perfect spot for my shot. At last I found it! The sun had set right behind the island in the middle of the lake, and it was perfect!

I figured since I am here already, and it is a new moon, I would wait until night fall to capture the stars and the Milky Way.  What I did not expect was the goosebumps and chills I got from the pitch dark night and sounds of howls from neighboring coyotes. Out of nowhere, there were a herd of folks rushing to the park with excitement.  There were photographers seeking their sweet spot and setting up their cameras, families starting a bonfire and making s'mores, and teenagers just grabbing a cold one. Not knowing what to expect, as soon as I started snapping photos of the sky, i saw an odd shape cloud moving in slow motion and everybody pointing at it in awe.  As soon as the color started to appear, I realized I am witnessing the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. I will remember this memory forever. Below are some photos of that beautiful night