Beyond Expectations: The Night the Northern Lights Surprised Us
15.7.2023
Written by: Juhani Vanhatapio
Dreaming of frozen river and auroras.
Dreaming of frozen river and auroras.
Introduction
It was the night of January 4, 2020, and John was driving north of Rovaniemi. His car was full of excited customers from different parts of the world. It was a mild night, only -15 degrees Celsius, which is fairly warm for the coldest month. John was keeping an eye on the sky as he drove. Since the weather was clear, he could be quite flexible for the different locations for the night.
“What’s the forecast for tonight?” a Chinese customer asked from the backseat. “Does it look good?”.
John took a moment before replying. “I looked at the solar wind data before we left. It’s not great, to be honest. Let’s hope it gets better,” he said.
Solar wind values:
- Magnetic Field (BZ): -3
- Speed: 370 km/s or 230 m/s
- Density: 1 particle per cubic centimeter
The tricky part about hunting for northern lights is that you can only predict them about an hour in advance. So, it can be tough to know how the night will turn out when you start the tour. Northern lights tours are challenging because of the unpredictable weather and solar wind.
After driving for a while, John said, “Let’s stop by the riverside and see what’s up. I think there’s something in the sky.”
Northern lights by the frozen river.
Northern lights by the frozen river.
Arrival to Frozen River
The clock chimed nine in the evening as John parked the car beside the frozen Ounasjoki river. Upon stepping out, he noticed a faint green tint in the sky. An unexpected thrill coursed through him – the solar wind values hadn’t promised any activity so early on.
“We’ve got some northern lights!” John announced, swinging the car door open for the passengers. “Isn’t this exciting?”
His customers clambered out into the snow, their eyes fixed on the moonlit sky. “Is that the light there, in the northern sky?” one of them asked, pointing.
“Yes,” John confirmed, “I know it doesn’t look too crazy, but the photos should look great.”
John then took a moment to tweak the settings on his camera. He set the aperture to f/2.8, the shutter speed to 8 seconds, and increased the ISO to 3200 from his usual 1600. The unusually bright moon added a magical touch to the scene, but also influenced the camera settings. By opting for a higher ISO, he could use a faster shutter speed to avoid blur from any motion during the shot. This choice, however, came with the trade-off of slightly more noise in the images due to the increased ISO.
Group photo under the lights.
Group photo under the lights.
Non-impressive Solar Wind Values
John devoted about 15 minutes to capturing individual photos of the entire group, rounding off the session with a collective group picture. These group photos always served as cherished memories of their shared adventure. Ideally, the river would have offered a more scenic backdrop, but John didn’t want to take any risks considering the unpredictable ice conditions.
One of the customers posed a question, “Do you think we’ll see more than what we’re witnessing right now?”
“It’s hard to predict, especially given the unimpressive solar wind data,” John responded, a hint of disappointment echoing his voice. “What we’re seeing now is already quite a spectacle considering the low values.”
Clear-sky nights with low activity can be a tough sell. While many anticipate witnessing the dancing of the northern lights, they often underestimate the unpredictability of this natural wonder, primarily dictated by solar wind values. Within the Arctic Circle, there’s about a 50% chance of seeing the northern lights, and this probability increases to 75% further north. However, even on the clearest of nights, there’s no guarantee of a light show.
John continued to observe the northern lights streaking across the northern sky, pondering the unique challenges of his profession. Despite the unpredictability, he was passionate about his work as a guide. His mission was to offer people the best opportunity to witness the lights; everything beyond that was in the hands of forces he had no control over.
Mesmerizing northern lights lasso.
Mesmerizing northern lights lasso.
Full of Surprises
As the clock struck half past nine, John noticed the arc beginning to transform.
“Look!” He exclaimed, his voice alight with excitement. “The shape’s twisting, just like a lasso!”
The customers turned their gaze to the lights that were now contorting in an unusual fashion. The spectacle looked like a gigantic lasso thrown across the northern sky. To the naked eye, the lights were now much more impressive.
John quickly captured a few shots, adjusting his camera settings as he did:
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 13 seconds
ISO: 1000
John was slightly taken aback. The solar wind values hadn’t been promising, yet what they were witnessing was remarkable. A smile spread across his face. Lady Aurora was proving, as always, to be full of delightful surprises.
Observing the interesting shape.
Observing the interesting shape.
Images for a Lifetime
John led his customers along the riverbank, starting to capture images against the spectacular backdrop of the northern lights’ lasso formation.
Trying to frame the subject with the scenery.
Trying to frame the subject with the scenery.
Finding The Frame
John experimented with various compositions, thoroughly pleased with the resulting images. The customers were equally thrilled, knowing these photos would serve as cherished memories from their adventure.
As the cold started to seep into the customers, John fired up the car and cranked the heat up to full blast. He didn’t feel too cold himself, but it was typical for tourists to shudder under the impact of subzero temperatures.
I’m lucky to call this place home.
I’m lucky to call this place home.
A Moment Alone
As the clock struck ten, John meandered towards the icy edges to snap a few more landscape photos. He treasured these brief moments of solitude. The river served as a stunning backdrop, while the moonlight lent a captivating glow to the scene. Standing by the vast river’s shore, John felt a sense of contentment wash over him. He wondered if his grandparents had ever experienced such an adventure, or if their daily lives had kept them too preoccupied. After capturing his final shot of the stunning landscape, John walked back to the car where his customers awaited the continuation of the night’s adventure.
Having packed his equipment, John guided the group towards a spot about 30 minutes north. However, the northern lights had begun to lose their brilliance. To maintain a cheerful atmosphere, John sparked a fire and started grilling some sausages for everyone. But as the biting cold and creeping fatigue began to affect the group, John knew it was time to head back. He started the car and embarked on the journey back to Rovaniemi around eleven, a trip that would take approximately an hour.
Surprise while on the road.
Surprise while on the road.
Northern Lights Explosion
As John set off, he glanced in the rearview mirror to find his customers sound asleep – a common occurrence, as the warmth of the car often lulled them into a peaceful slumber.
Throughout the drive, John took quick glances at the sky whenever he could. He wanted to be certain he wouldn’t miss any sudden eruptions of the northern lights.
As he cruised past a location that offered a clear view of the northern sky, he saw it awash with green glow. The lights were brightening up again!
John pulled over, confident that this would be a quick pit stop and unlikely to be disturbed by any passing traffic at this late hour.
“Wake up!” John urged, his voice resonating through the car. “The lights are brighter again!”
With a bit of persuasion, he managed to rouse the group from the cozy confines of the car. Stepping out into the cold, they were instantly greeted by the mesmerizing dancing lights.
Image ruined by slightly moved focus ring.
Image ruined by slightly moved focus ring.
Conclusion
John managed to capture a few more images before the dance of the lights began to diminish. Unexpected surprises on the road were often part and parcel of long-distance drives that were common for the northern lights tours. He then ushered the customers back into the car and resumed the journey towards Rovaniemi, which was now just a short 15-minute drive away.
John was filled with a mix of joy and confusion. No one could have anticipated such an extraordinary night. He was utterly captivated by the dazzling lights flickering in the sky. In his entrancement, he failed to notice that the focus ring of his Samyang 14mm lens had shifted slightly, resulting in blurry images. This was a detail he’d only discover later during post-production. Unfortunately, poor exposure and out-of-focus shots are the two elements that cannot be rectified in post-processing. This was an important lesson for him, which he would remember for a long time.