The Aurora From The Indiana Dunes National Park

For the second day in a row, the northern lights were visible around Chicago. 

This evening, I headed out to the Indiana Dunes National Park in hopes of seeing the aurora - it was touted to be more intense than the previous evening. Arriving at the National Park around 7pm, I had several viewing spots in mind, most of which were packed with cars, so plan D was put into effect. Plan D was Central Beach, only a short hike from the pitch black parking area to the beach, and only about 10 cars in the lot. Making our way to the beach in the dark is a relatively new experience; I've been here countless times in the light, but never in total darkness. We found a place down on the sand where the wind wasn't quite as strong, and waited. 

 Around 8:20 pm the first glowing could be seen through the thin clouds on the horizon over wavy Lake Michigan. Tonight the colors, shapes, and light changed quickly, then disappeared over and over. Only during one period did I notice any other colors higher in the sky.

   

 For just a few minutes, the red colors of the aurora made an appearance, and stretched above the horizon to a relatively high position in the sky. We were scanning the sky constantly for any changes, and what seemed to work best was the camera. While we could seen dabs of light appear, the longer exposure of the camera sensor brought the colors to life - even the reds which were mostly invisible to the naked eye. 

 After standing in one place for over two hours, we began to realize we probably weren't going to see any more of the aurora. A bit disappointed that they were not as intense or as high in the sky as predicted, we made our way out of the park. 

My plan was to move to several locations if the lights were very active, in an attempt to capture the lights with some signature features of the Indiana Dunes National Park, but at least we were treated to a short, but beautiful show earlier in the evening.

A Rare Opportunity to See the Northern Lights in Chicago

 

A rare occasion indeed. Tonight people in Chicago are being treated to a spectacular show of the Aurora Borealis, and it isn't just a faint smear of light. While it was sometimes difficult to see with the naked eye, a time exposure with a camera brought out the light and colors of the Northern Lights like I've not seen before. 

As luck would have it, I was without a tripod, so these images were taken handheld but propped up against the fence of a baseball field in suburban Tinley Park. While not perfectly clear, they manage to convey the lights with a 1.3 second exposure. I've seen so many alerts on the news in the past where the northern lights were said to be visible as far south as Chicago, and was generally disappointed by a slight color in the sky. Today, while walking around, I noticed the smears of color in the sky, so I grabbed my camera and headed toward an open area. 

 Once on site, I saw nothing at all. After several minutes, I made my way back home only to notice a bit more color in the sky, so I turned around back to the park where over the next 30 minutes, I was treated to a colorful display of the sun's charged particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere.

   

 The display was fast changing, and mostly red, green, and purple in color. As usual, I was not far enough away from the city lights, but even with the light pollution, I was able to capture a few acceptable images. 

With the camera sensor on the Nikon Z8 and the long exposure, the colors just popped. In fact, I needed to reduce the saturation of the images right out of the camera for fear the photos would look fake. I'll keep looking out the window tonight, in hopes of finding even more colorful displays.

Fall Color at the Sugar Bush

Seemingly a bit late this year, peak color at the Indiana Dunes National Park is almost here. Late October, and hardly any leaves have fallen in the ravines of the Chellberg Farm sugar bush, but they are beginning to change color. 

The sugar bush is a term for the area of maple trees planted and maintained for maple sugar manufacturing each spring, and Fall is a great time to visit for exceptional color. 

Mainly maple, beech and oak trees, the woods here change to bright green and gold, and in turn, everything is bathed in golden light as you wind through the trails.

   

 Once down in the ravines of the woods, the trees seem taller than usual, dwarfing all who wander beneath them. The golden colors surround the trails, and in a few days, even the ground will be completely gold with fallen leaves. 

Walking through the bush at this time of year when the trees are preparing themselves for a long, hard winter, I often think ahead to early spring when the temperatures begin to climb just above freezing. This is the time when the sap in the maple trees begins to flow, and maple sugar time takes place at the Indiana Dunes National Park. 

Wishful thinking from someone who loves warm weather.