Aurora borealis

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

It isn’t every day (or night) you get to check something off your bucket list. Last night I did.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

The full item on the list was “travel some place to see the Northern Lights.” Well, I was fortunate to see them here at Crow’s Nest Preserve.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

I am grateful to professional photographer Valerie Hoffman, who shared some tips on photographing the aurora borealis this summer when she was at Crow’s Nest to photograph insects on wildflowers. And I have to thank the B.S.A. Scout leaders of Troop 595 in Douglassville, for sharing their photos and encouraging everyone to look up!

I had just arrived home from attending a lecture on the subject of barns of Northern Chester County (more on that later!) and would have walked our dogs and gone to bed. The hour I spent taking pictures and enjoying the show was well spent. To the naked eye, the colors were much more subtle, and without thinking about them I might have dismissed it as typical light pollution. The long exposure—of a cell phone camera—brings out the dramatic sight. The colors slowly ebb and flow.

Photo: Daniel Barringer

Reports are that the geomagnetic storm may continue this evening so there may be an opportunity to see more tonight.