Monday, 29 December 2025

Wow, Look At That Aurora


 


        2025 has been a really good year to see an aurora, and I have seen many photos of spectacular, colorful examples of the Northern Lights that people had captured on film.  Every time I hear about an aurora, I always think back on an experience I had, and will never forget.  I know I have blogged about it before, but just in case you missed it, here’s the story:


            One clear, cold January night I went out into the darkness to tryout the “Night Vision” capabilities on my camcorder.  It was pretty frigid and dark as I stood out in the pasture and began to scan the open skies through the viewfinder of my camcorder.   I had the “Night Vision” on, and what I saw through the viewfinder was amazing:  Moving cloud-like areas of green, swirling across the viewfinder.  

            “Wow,”  I thought, “This is an amazing aurora.”   I pressed the video button of the camcorder to record the incredible aurora I was seeing, for posterity.  I kept my eyes glued into the viewfinder.  I was so happy to be witnessing and recording such an amazing swirling green display in the sky.  

            After a while I lowered the camcorder from my eyes, and was surprised that I couldn’t see the aurora with my naked eyes.  I looked back into the viewfinder, and there it was again.

            “Wait a minute, something’s not right here.”  I began to think, and then it hit me. 

            There was no aurora.  What I was seeing, and recording was my breath, fogged up from the cold, and drifting across the front of my camera.

            I felt pretty deflated and foolish at all of my excitement in thinking I was witnessing an amazing aurora, that turned out to be,  just my breath.


You can see my paintings at:  davidmarchant2.ca

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