01/21/2026
Well, like many others, I went out chasing the aurora last night. There was lots of red in the sky, but no pillars. A bit past midnight, we called it a night. Cold, tired, and sore, it seemed like a good decision.
Waking up this morning and seeing from othersâ posts that the big show started pretty much right after Iâd gone to bed⌠well, that decision didnât feel quite so great. Live and learn.
I did photograph plenty of night sky images while we were out â the sky was clear and colorful. Panoramics, stacked images, star trails⌠and in the end, this simple single frame might have been my favorite of the night. If you look closely to the left of the Milky Way, youâll spot the Andromeda galaxy.
âWait,â you say, âI thought you couldnât photograph the Milky Way in winter?â Thatâs true â the bright, detailed core we all love is below the horizon right now. But the Milky Way itself is still there. Quieter. Less showy. Still beautiful. Like seeing an old friend from behind.
And yes, if I sound a little disappointed to have missed the big aurora show, I am. But no night under the stars is ever wasted â especially when shared with friends. That sense of connection to the universe, the reminder of how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and the almost deafening quiet of a cold, clear, dark night⌠that feels like exactly what we could all use right now.