Photo Credit: Marcel Weiland
I saw the Aurora Borealis the other night and it blew my mind out the back of my skull.
Here’s how it went down.
It was Friday night. I got home at midnight from a long day, and my roommates and I piled into my truck and headed up the highway in search of Aurora.
Yes, we left the house at midnight. It’s just the kind of thing that happens when everyone in the house has an above-average capacity for hyper-fixation.
So, we’re speeding up the highway in search of the lights. The first spot we tried didn’t end up having a great view, so we kept driving. We tried a few more spots, went down a handful of dirt roads, and past a number of ominous-looking private property signs, but we kept getting stymied.
By this time it was past 1 am and we were beginning to think of calling it, but decided to give it one more try. So we headed for a place called Boca Reservoir on the east side of Truckee. At this point we were nearly 2 hours away from home and spirits were waning. We took the exit and wound our way up the ridge from the highway.
When we peaked the ridge the sky completely opened up and it was clear we were in the right place. We sat up in our seats, peering under the windshield to get as much of the view as we could. The lake was below us, shimmering with starlight, and we had an unobstructed 360* view of the sky. Before we even got out of the truck we could see pink and green hues with just our naked eyes.
When we pulled our cameras out the sky burst open. Suddenly we could see a whole spectrum of colors from deep purples and blues to bright pinks, yellows, and greens. The sky was dancing, awash in vibrant and penetrating color. It was stunning.
Waiting for the long exposure of the camera was agonizing. Every image rendered was a new configuration of the most intense sky we’d ever experienced.
I wanted to stay there all night.
Upon reflection, what I was feeling was wonderment.
“rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience”
“a state of amazement, astonishment, or awe, often caused by something remarkable or unexpected”
I’ve come close to wonderment a handful of times in my life, but never so pure as Friday night at Boca Reservoir.
The Aurora Borealis stands in a league of its own. Watching it felt primal. I could feel what I was seeing in my bones. In a strange way that I can’t explain, it felt like I had seen it before. That I was part of it. I felt a recognition.
We left the lake arond 3am. My roommates both fell asleep on the drive home, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I didn’t know what to make of what I had seen. I still don’t. Not really.
All I know for sure is that I want to see those lights again.
I want to chase that feeling.
And I want a better camera.
All Images taken with my iPhone (13 Pro Max)
MW 