First Outdoor Winter Night

The northern lights have been absent for almost a month due to both inactivity and cloudy weather. But last night they returned, if only very briefly.

Northern Lights over a frozen lake surface.

I went to a lake where I hoped the ice had created a mirror. And it had just that. It was minus 8 degrees Celsius (18°F) when I arrived at 10:05 PM. The ice was so thick I could even walk on it. But I didn't. Not more than testing it where the water was shallow a meter or two from the waterline. Firm as a concrete floor.

But you should never take any risks, especially when you're all alone which I was.

Now to the northern lights. They started dancing just as I walked from my car along the lake. I hurried to take some photos before I took time to find a better spot. I found my spot by a boat, or two actually. There were several boats on the shoreline and most of them were filled with water. And now a thick ice surface. But two of them were placed so I could have them in the foreground and the aurora in the background.

The water filled boat became an ice mirror for the Aurora Borealis.

The water in the boat was frozen so I put my storm lamp on the ice.

Unfortunately the aurora faded away pretty soon and never returned. I spent an hour waiting but the auroral activity was obviously over. I went to my car and drove 15 minutes back to my house around midnight.

I realized how much I love being outside when it's cold. Not too cold though, but this felt nice. Fresh cold air and absolute silence, apart from some birds that I scared when I explored the place. They scared me too!

The sky was amazing with thousands of stars shining bright over my head. And this was the first time this aurora season when I really felt like it was a winter night, although there was no snow.

Can't wait for the next aurora expedition.

Northern lights fading away but the night was still very beautiful. It made me feel happy and privileged.