Prepare for the celestial dancers to take the stage in honor of the last weekend of November in Finland. The sun had sent two massive eruptions towards Earth, promising a spectacular aurora display.
First act didn’t tell what was coming
The air was bitingly cold, registering at minus ten degrees, with a forecast of a clear sky under the glow of a full moon. However, snowfall was predicted from the west, and upon arriving at the cabin in South Finland, the sky was veiled by clouds. Disappointment loomed as the chance of witnessing the auroras seemed increasingly slim.
Yet, against all odds, at eight in the evening, the sky opened up under the light of the moon and stars. We could also see the first act of aurora show in the sky.
The show was magical
The aurora show commenced magically and peaked a couple of hours later, offering a magnificent spectacle: alongside the green lights, reds and violets painted the sky.
The vivid green and red hues in the auroras result from the impact of oxygen, while blues and violets stem from nitrogen. Different colors appear at different altitudes.
This marked my second encounter with such vivid Northern Lights. The first sighting seemed rather tame in comparison to this mesmerising display (Chasing the Northern Lights: My Spectacular Encounter with Aurora Borealis).
Northern lights were dancing above my head
The basic shape of auroras resembles an arc, almost like a rainbow, known in folklore as the Gates of the North.
The appearance of auroras varies depending on the viewing distance. From afar, they look like long, ribbon-like arcs, but when observed from below, they might partially appear circular, known as the auroral crown. And I saw those crowns!
After spending a few hours photographing in minus ten degrees Celsius, I opted for a stroll. Thinking the Northern Lights had vanished, I stumbled upon them once more peeking through the trees.
It was a magical night; I captured nearly 200 pictures on my camera of this breathtaking sight.
Now, I eagerly await the next performance, despite the challenging Finnish weather. Since the beginning of November, the sky has been predominantly cloudy. However, I look forward to the coming months because between February and March, the nights are usually clear and full of possibilities for stunning aurora displays.
I hope you relished my Northern Lights post! Which photo stole your heart, and what captivated you about it? I’m itching to hear your thoughts and comments. I am happy to hear your own experience of the Northern Lights, so leave a comment in the comment section 🙂
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MINNA JACOBON 
Stunning shots! 😊 What a treat to experience this and capture it with the camera!
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Thank you so much! It was amazing night 👍😊
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Wow! You captured some stellar Aurora photos. Absolutely beautiful. I lived in the subarctic for six years but didn’t get pictures as good as yours.
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Thank you Lynette! It is not common to see auroras where I live, so this was amazing event for me 😊
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Oh WOW! Absolutely lovely, something I have never seen. May I ask what camera settings you used for these shots?
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Yes, sure! As these auroras were slow ones I used 5 second, f/2.8, ISO 800. If auroras are moving fast, then the speed is 1-2 seconds. It was full moon also, which kept ISO lower. Auroras are visible often in Lapland. I recommend a trip there, if you are intrested in to photograph auroras 😊
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What a thrill to see such a show. I like all of it’s displays. It seems as though the lights create a sort of twilight at ground level, is that right? How does one tear oneself away even for a moment?! I look forward to more pictures through the winter! Thank you!
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It was a magnificent show; I lived in awe for the following couple of weeks.
The Northern Lights are visible as reflections on the water’s surface. Intense Northern Lights also color the snow, turning it, for example, green.
I was outside in minus 10 degrees Celsius for nearly four hours. I couldn’t bring myself to go indoors until they faded 😊
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Fantastic shots. Your third is my favourite, but also your last one is not bad, with the stroke of red.
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Thank you so much. The third one is also my favourite, but I liked also the ones with crown 😊
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What a busy night, great work Minna!
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Thank you Hans!
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What a beautiful show!!! Lovely images, all! Here in Oslo, it has been cloudy most of the time and was on the night with stupendous Aurora activity. Another night we had mostly clear sky but when we braved the -10C in the earlier part of the evening, not much was happening even though the activity on the Aurora map was pretty high. Later that night, when there was more activity and I could see some dancing even from our house which is nestled in a valley and has a poor vantage point for viewing the lights, I was too much of a wimp to go out for proper photos so opened a window in our upstairs bathroom and took a few poor-quality handheld snaps. I am hoping, after the new year, that we will get crisp, clear nights that aren’t too frigidly cold and the dancing will commence again. In the meantime, it is great to enjoy the show you captured!! Bravo!!
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Thank you so much!
It was nice to hear your story 😁 I hope that next time the Northern lights are dancing, you will get some great shots 👍 I am so crazy about the auroras that even it would be -20 C, I would get out to photograph them 🥶
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Spectacular! Every shot is splendid; I like them all!
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Thank you Magickmermaid 😍😍
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Beautiful aurora images! I especially like the first images over the water where I can appreciate the entire sky. I’ve only experience and photographer a more subtle aurora when in Iceland. I hope to have the chance again. Great photos!
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Thank you Denise, I appreciate your comment a lot 🙏😊
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