Aurora Adventures

The kids were already tucked into bed, but the sky had burst to life with vibrant, dancing curtains of light. I couldn’t resist, I had to share this moment with them! Pulling them from their cozy beds, we ventured out to our neighborhood park in their pajamas. There, we joined nearly a dozen neighbors, all gathered to witness the same breathtaking spectacle. Seeing the Northern Lights in the greater Minneapolis metro area, with its overwhelming light pollution, is a rare treat. This was definitely a night to break the usual bedtime rules. I watched their bright eyes as they soaked up this new experience they’ve only heard about before.

Growing up, I don’t recall seeing the Aurora Borealis with any regularity. The Sun’s solar activity follows roughly a 10-year cycle, and in 2024, we reached a solar maximum. The Sun has been erupting with more solar flares, sending energy toward Earth’s atmosphere. When these electrically charged particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field, they create stunning, visible multicolored rays that swirl and shimmer across the sky. With solar storms happening more frequently, and thanks to the ease of finding and sharing aurora forecasts, spotting these lights has become more accessible. The prevalence of high-quality phone cameras in our pockets makes capturing and sharing these moments even easier.

The Aurora danced and shifted overhead, and I couldn’t pull myself away. I skied through the woods and prairies that night for hours, savoring every second of that magical night.

This almost addictive pursuit of these fleeting, almost spiritual displays has led to many sleepless nights since late winter 2023. I vividly remember one of those first nights—a mild March evening when I took my dog skijoring under the light of my headlamp. After a few kilometers of skiing, I tripped on the skijoring line and fell onto my back. Lying there in the snow, I turned off my headlamp to get a better look at the shimmering spectacle above. In that moment, I didn’t feel like I was in the Midwest; it felt more like a display in Norway. The Aurora danced and shifted overhead, and I couldn’t pull myself away. I skied through the woods and prairies that night for hours, savoring every second of that magical night.

This solar maximum period has kept me chasing the lights whenever I can. Sometimes, I catch glimpses of them from home near Minneapolis, but occasionally, I’m fortunate enough to be up North, where the dark skies put on an even more impressive show. Recently, I’ve been lucky to witness the Aurora in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (a designated dark sky sanctuary), in Lutsen along the North Shore, and over Sturgeon Lake in Northern Minnesota. Each sighting fills me with awe and gratitude, especially when I get to share these moments with my family and friends.

Happy Aurora hunting, and may your nights be filled with wonder!