Comet Aurora

 

So many cool images from the aurora event of April 23-24, 2023.  I'm still working through all the photographs I made that night.  These made me think of a comet.  For those that are interested in camera/lens used and exposure settings, here they are: 

Above Image: Camera: Nikon Z7 II. Lens: Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 at 14mm. Exposure length: 10 seconds. Aperture: f/2.8. ISO: 1000. 

Below Image: Camera: Nikon Z7 II. Lens: Nikon Z 14-24mm f/2.8 at 14mm. Exposure length: 25 seconds. Aperture: f/2.8. ISO: 400. 

Spring Beavers

 

I love watching beavers in the spring.  Probably the main reason for that is they are easier to find, as there are limited pockets of open water.  And, they are often hanging out in these open pockets of water. This evening I came across this young one that was right near the forest road I was driving on.  He/she did not seem to be bothered and hung out very nonchalantly less than 50 feet away. 

Aurora STORM!

 

2023 is shaping up to be a banner year for the Aurora Borealis!  Last night we had another incredible display of the northern lights, the second such storm in the past month! I was out watching and photographing the sky from about 10 PM until 2:30 AM.  The lights were showing no signs of fading when I called it a night.  It's incredibly hard to walk away from such a beautiful display but I needed to get at least a few hours of sleep before heading in to work. Here are some quick edits after a quick review of the photographs I made.  For those interested in ordering prints, I will try to get these onto my website sometime in the next week.  For now, enjoy the views as I saw them through my camera lens!

Awaiting Spring

 

It's kind of hard to believe that a week and a half ago we had temperatures approaching 60 degrees (some parts of Minnesota even saw temps in the upper 80's!). Since that warm spell, we have had two significant winter storms. Just yesterday/last night we had a big storm that dumped over 12" of new snow on us.  And, technically, it is spring... which meant that it was wet, heavy snow. It seems a little crazy to get that much snow this late in April, but it is by no means unprecedented.  We have had plenty of April snow storms over the years.  

Even though I'm ready for spring and summer, I still find the day after a snow storm to be a very beautiful time to be out in the woods. Today I went for a drive and saw this beaver dam and lodge way out in a large meadow, with some open water near the culvert running under the road. The lodge looked like it was tired of winter too, and I could easily imagine the beavers huddled inside, patiently waiting for warmer weather, just as we all are. 

Peaceful Morning on the Green River

 

As a follow up to the "Green River Milky Way" image that I posted the other day, here is a photograph from that same location as the sun was rising behind me. As I mentioned in the Milky Way post, this is definitely one of my favorite locations that I've camped in the southwest.  I already knew that when I saw the star-filled sky over the river, but that sentiment was solidified after spending such a beautiful morning here as well. 

Spring View from Mt. Rose

 

Lake Superior and Grand Portage Bay as seen from the summit of Mt. Rose in Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota. 

A week or two from now, most of the white ground visible in this photo should be gone, as we are expecting to see much warmer temperatures move into the region. As it does every year, the arrival of spring will bring an influx of change. As much as I like winter, I'm looking forward to some warmer weather and the return of summer outdoor activities. 

Green River Milky Way

 

This is hands down one of my favorite places that I've ever camped. A designated campsite right alongside the Green River in Canyonlands National Park, on the White Rim Road route. After a long day of driving this very rugged off-road route, it was sure nice to have such an awesome campsite to relax in. Immediately across the river was this huge bluff whose silhouette reminded me of Mt. Josephine back home. I can't wait to visit this spot again someday.