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Dale R. Niesen Photography


  1. After Dark

Aurora Borealis

Welcome to my Aurora Borealis / Northern Lights and dark sky gallery. The “northern lights” are caused by collisions between fast moving electron particles from space sent towards earth from the sun. When these particles collide with oxygen and nitrogen gas molecules in the atmosphere the results are colorful displays of light. The color of the aurora depends on which gas is being excited by the electrons and on how much energy is being exchanged. Oxygen emits either a greenish-yellow light the most commonly seen color or a red light, nitrogen gas generally gives off a blue light. You can see all of these colors and more in my gallery as well as examples of another light emitting phenomenon known as airglow. Airglow is a very weak emission of green or red light by the planetary atmosphere all of the below images have been taken in Michigan.
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The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
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The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are posted to this gallery. These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan. It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.

Aurora BorealisNorthern LightsLake SuperiorMichiganMay 62013naturecanoncanon 7dlandscapeNovemberWhitefish Baysolar flarenightphotographystarsCMElightsGeophysical Activitysolar windGeomagnetic Activitysolar stormWhitefish PointParadiseオーロラ北極光

  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The above image is part of a series of photos nine of which are  posted to this gallery.  These images show the evolution of a rainbow like display of Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/6/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for wonderful reflections of the lights.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.  Note: Special steps may need to be taken when ordering a panoramic image please review the panoramic print sizes for cropping. However the 15 x 30 size print appears to be a perfect fit for the above image without cropping.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken in the early hours of 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.  Note: Special steps may need to be taken when ordering a panoramic image please review the panoramic print sizes for cropping. However there are a number of sizes that appear to be perfect fits without cropping for this photo from an 8 x 20 to a 20 x 50 panoramic size print .
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken in the early hours of 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.  It was a calm night on the lake allowing for a wonderful reflection of the lights.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights over Lake Superior at Whitefish Point taken in the early hours of 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.
  • The Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights at Whitefish Point taken in the early hours of 5/7/2013 near Paradise, Michigan.
  • The above video is just something I put together from photos I have taken of the aurora and airglow in the past 6 months.  This video is not for sale it is simply for your enjoyment.   You can find stills in my Aurora Borealis gallery of some of the images used in the making of this video.  All of the images used to produce this time lapse video were taken in Michigan. (Updated 10/18/2013)
  • A light green and red airglow surrounds the Little Sable Lighthouse on the morning of May 19, 2013.   Little Sable is located on Lake Michigan near Silver Lake, Michigan south of the sand dunes the lighthouse is a part of the Silver Lake State Park.
  • Star Trails and Aurora at Crisp Point Lighthouse on Lake Superior north of Newberry, Michigan
  • Crisp Point Lighthouse on Lake Superior north of Newberry, Michigan
  • Northern lights taken from the shore of Lake Superior at Crisp Point north of Newberry, Michigan
  • The Aurora Borealis plus green and red airglow taken on Lake Superior's Whitefish Bay, Chippewa County, Michigan 6/4/2013.
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