Saturday, April 11, 2015

Saturday Spotlight 14: An Aurora - and I Missed It!

Today my "Saturday Spotlight" is shining on a rare phenomenon that occurred this week in the night sky of Montana.

About 1:30 am on Friday, April 10th, photographer James Ridle captured an amazing photograph of a colorful aurora over the Sleeping Giant mountain north of Helena, Montana.


You can view the photo and read about the solar storm that caused this beautiful light by clicking here.

The very same "Sleeping Giant" mountain that is in Mr. Ridle's photo is visible from our living room window. Had I been awake, I would have seen this incredible light show in the night sky.
Mountain, Sleeping Giant, Helena,
A daytime view of the sleeping giant mountain from our house.
I wish so very much that I had seen and captured my own photograph of the aurora. There are many evenings when I am still up that late, writing. Unfortunately, however, Thursday evening was one night when I went to bed quite early.

Today I will be watching my son as he runs in a high school track meet. Later this evening, I will have an opportunity to take photos of him and a bunch of his friends before they set out for prom. While the results of a solar storm would be fun to see, these are the events I am truly grateful not to miss.

Whatever your weekend holds - I hope you don't miss out on a thing, and have the opportunity to make the most of all of it!

Just in case the aurora is visible again this weekend, I will be sleeping with my camera on my bedside table! If it happens again, I hope I wake up to see it! 

Have you ever seen an Aurora or the Northern Lights?

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10 comments :

  1. As I'm now back home (in reference to your last post :) ) I can tell you I am sick about missing the blood moon of last week. I was in LA and asleep. Had I cracked open an eye, I would have seen it as the moon was beaming in my curtainless room! I've only seen the Northern lights once - on a lake in Ontario. So incredible. It was a shimmering paint box across the sky. Hope you manage to see the aurora yourself. And that your son has a great prom!!!

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    1. It seems as though sleep is over-rated Kelly. Glad that you got to see the Northern Lights. I have only ever seen faint renditions of them - I'd love to see a full display!

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  2. Unfortunately, I've never seen the Northern Lights, although my husband has seen them many times in Alaska. I would love to though! We're off to a track meet today as well - under very rainy, windy conditions - yuck. Hope your son does well, and has a great prom. Our high school only has a senior prom, so there won't be any pictures of that until next year. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Our track meet day was gray, and the rain held off till just after my son's last event, but unfortunately not until the very end. Hope your son's track meet went great, as well!

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  3. Where we live there is too much light pollution to be able to see such wonders...but....as a child I remember my Dad getting us all outside late at night to see the lights.

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    1. We once woke our (then tiny) kids up to see a meteor shower. I hope that they remember it as you remember having seen the northern lights!

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  4. How I would love to see the Northern (or Southern) lights. I am not a night owl, but an exception would be made.

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    1. Some things are just worth it to miss a little sleep in order to see them!

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  5. Amazing photo! I bet the prom pictures were better though! I'm in the middle of reviving Million Mile Blog this week. I just couldn't let it go I've worked so hard on it. So Tuesday's and Thursdays I'll be over there from now on lol! I don't know how I missed this Saturday!

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    1. So glad you are going to keep the Million Mile Blog Rena. I don't know how you keep up with two (I am way behind myself with blog comments and social media this week!) but it is a great blog!

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