Moonrise Amidst (An Aurora Named Steve)
5 years ago, I met Steve. I stumbled into Steve after being drawn out from the city by a faint green glow in the night sky. As my eyes adjusted, I watched a blood red moon rising in the mist. Then I noticed a thin strip of light stretching across the sky.
It felt the strange sensation of being connected to something bigger. Like that band of light was a path to the stars.
I tried finding anything that could explain what I had seen. It wasn’t until I heard about Steve earlier this year, that it all made sense, and I can now call it by its name.
I originally posted my experience here > Moonrise Amidst. While the photo captures the mood of the moment, which was my intention, it doesn’t show Steve very well. I shot this with my 18-200mm kit lens and this was my first attempt at capturing an aurora. Exposures are 30 seconds. The orange glow is light pollution from the city’s lights. I later purchased a Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 for wide-angle night photography, and since then my aurora-shooting skills have dramatically improved. These photos are enhanced versions of the originals.
If you’re curious about the name, here’s the story.
Calgary, AB · July 9, 2012
