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xo_tea_jay t1_iu60wkn wrote

I really want to see this someday

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Jazzy_Bee t1_iu69nqc wrote

I hope you do. It is a very moving experience. Lucky enough to have seen them twice up in Yellowknife.

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Still_No_Tomatoes t1_iu6r8cc wrote

Is there like a best Season or time to see them? Or is it going on all the time?

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_Lane_ t1_iu728qa wrote

Lots of folks seem to have success at night, so I'd probably recommend that.

(Sorry, it was too easy, and no one else had grabbed it.)

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Jazzy_Bee t1_iu72j3n wrote

Late Fall to early Spring. I got lucky with a great green show in May, and again in August, but this time just white. Was passenger in a car with a moon roof, so just laid my seat back and enjoyed the show. These visits were 10 years apart.

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you_always_do t1_iu75boo wrote

Is it as green with your naked eye?

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Jazzy_Bee t1_iu7czqb wrote

The night I saw them, they were more vividly green than this, no blues, more emerald green I guess you'd call it. Someone left the bar, and came back in to tell us. Many of the people went out to watch, (and have a smoke). They looked like curtains and filled the whole sky.

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you_always_do t1_iu7seie wrote

Were your eyes well acclimated to the dark? I saw them a couple of times, grey wisps at first and then they turn greener as eyes acclimate to the dark. But I've never seen them he bright or extremely vivid green

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pazimpanet t1_iu6wmvu wrote

While what the other guy said is true, the brightness and colors are exaggerated in photos they don’t capture one thing about them. How they dance. The way that they move across the sky is mesmerizing. They don’t drift solidly like clouds like you might imagine. Dance really is the best word for it, they almost squirm like a worm or a giant snake across the sky.

I very much hope you do get to see them. They were on my bucket list and I almost missed them, but they came out bright literally my last night in Iceland.

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SummerAndTinkles t1_iu73r3h wrote

Just go to Principal Skinner's kitchen.

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xo_tea_jay t1_iu7b2s4 wrote

that took a second for me, but that was amazing. thank you for the giggle.

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Brave_Reaction t1_iu7wimf wrote

Seymour! The house is on fire!

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shayna16 t1_iu852ed wrote

No Mother, it’s just the northern lights!

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kipj23 t1_iu876xz wrote

Aurora Borealis!? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen!?

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Beetkiller t1_iu86ou0 wrote

Norwegian krone is weak and USD is strong now, almost 20% discount.

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Pristine-Donkey4698 t1_iu6vylp wrote

It does not look like this in person, only in pictures. When I was at Glacier National we saw the northern lights. It was just a green glow. Then my buddy shows me the pictures he took with long exposure and it looked incredible.

0

EmSixTeen t1_iu721jx wrote

It can look pretty close to this in person, especially given that 8 year cycle of solar activity is beginning to peak again.

I lived close to here for years.

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[deleted] t1_iu7by04 wrote

[deleted]

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AxeCow t1_iu8mshi wrote

> Stay in Alaska for winter, and you’ll understand. > > > > They can look like this. They don’t always look like this, but it’s not uncommon. Glacier is ‘North’ to you, but not to others.

And even the populated parts of Alaska, funnily enough, aren’t all that north (if you’re talking about Anchorage, Fairbanks etc.) when compared to northern Norway like where this picture was taken.

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MagicalUnicornFart t1_iuaaewz wrote

It’s a latitude thing :)

Light pollution can be a problem, but it’s not too far to get away from it.

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7zarp wrote

yes it does, this was shot in the arctic, not Glacier national park lol. While I do agree it's very faint where I live in Banff, the sky looks pretty much identical here. I take it you've never been to northern Norway?

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Beetkiller t1_iu86yal wrote

Glacier National park is 48 degrees North, same as Paris. People would laugh at you if you said the northern lights in Paris were nothing like photos.

Senja is at 67 degrees.

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AxeCow t1_iu8m96r wrote

Correction: Senja is 69 degrees northern latitude.

I reside at 65 degrees north latitude, and even here northern lights are relatively boring, mostly green and not super bright. From my experience they really get nice only above the arctic circle which is currently around 66.5 degrees north. Senja is pretty much as good as it gets without having to go to Svalbard.

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Beetkiller t1_iu8nsey wrote

> Correction: Senja is 69 degrees northern latitude.

Right, I probably should have known that Senja doesn't lay just north of the article circle. I just googled and picked the top response summary.

Our northern lights research center lays just west of Senja, and it's where I saw northern lights that makes this photo look muted.

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PikkNakke t1_iu87jxe wrote

They vary a lot in intensity and can definetely look like the picture.

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oldmanconway t1_iu84m6v wrote

The strength is measured using the KP-index. What you probably witnessed was a one or two on the scale. It goes up to nine. From four and up it pretty much looks the same on camera as IRL, allthough any picture will always be adjusted to some degree - it's not unique to northern lights photography.

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Time-to-go-home t1_iu5vagm wrote

What camera settings did you use?

I live in Alaska and with dark winter skies now, I’m hoping to get some good aurora photos. I’ve just got a Canon Rebel T6 and use F2.8, ISO 1600, and 4-8 second exposure, depending on the lights. But they never look this good.

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gudelaune OP t1_iu5vr5g wrote

That night was a bit nuts, the sky was suuuuper bright. I think I shot at 1.3-1.6s max with very low iso, 1000 or less and f1.4 with my Sigma 16mm.

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Time-to-go-home t1_iu5zyug wrote

Thanks. I’ll keep that all in mind next time I go out to see the lights (hopefully this weekend). Unfortunately, my lens only goes down to 2.8, but I’ll make it work somehow. Did the lights actually look bluish in person? Or is that just what the camera was able to pick up?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu60ks6 wrote

they were all sorts of colours! greens, blues, purples, pinks, white...

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Jazzy_Bee t1_iu731wq wrote

A few years back my daughter managed to get a short video from southeastern Ontario, but they are low on the horizon from here.

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jumbonionga t1_iu7lhrx wrote

You can still pull this out, regardless of the f number. As long as you have the proper lens (even the kit lens works) you could get something like this. The only caveat is that you'll need a slower shutter time.

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sweetplantveal t1_iu7d1hs wrote

Ok let’s call it 2 seconds at iso 800. We need to compensate for the aperture. F/1.4 and f/2.8 are 2 stops apart. So with the settings mentioned (4 seconds is one stop and 1600 is the other), you’re shooting almost identical exposures. The difference is the brightness of the scene.

Also shouldn’t a T6 be able to do 15 seconds at 3200 with a pretty clean image?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7way7 wrote

no it's not the same at all because the aurora looks way better at a faster shutter speed imo. The longer it is, the more faded / blurry it looks, I find even 1 vs 4 sec made a difference so personally I never shoot auroras at more than 5-6s.

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SmarterThanMyBoss t1_iu6afal wrote

Dude, I was in Reykjavík that night and they were incredible even in the city!

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gudelaune OP t1_iu6bq1r wrote

It was literally like this every night when I was there haha

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KatttDawggg t1_iu7ihll wrote

Is this edited to look more brilliant or is this really how it was?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7w3n0 wrote

The sky looked pretty much the same tbh, but the mountains were much darker.

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CalRipkenForCommish t1_iu5sa9i wrote

Ethereal! Probably tough not taking a beautiful shot from there :)

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Ticoune0825 t1_iu6ihee wrote

You're an odd fellow, but I must say, you steam a good ham

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CantEowynThemAll t1_iu6gaff wrote

We visited Senja earlier this summer during the midnight sun and it was phenomenal. Now we'll have to go back for the Northern Lights!

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IsureamMunsoned t1_iu5sois wrote

Absolutely incredible 👏 Looks like a far off alien planet in a video game

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HiebUndStichfest t1_iu716pa wrote

Nothing as satisfying as finding new lockscreen wallpapers by accident

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swz t1_iu641wf wrote

Absolutely STUNNING.

I feel like this is a serious contender for the top post of all time on the sub.

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Rhonnie22 t1_iu645ix wrote

This is spectacular! Thank you for bringing my bucket list view right to my screen, just wow!

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smcgowan10 t1_iu68283 wrote

That reflection is perfect! Beautiful shot!

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ItsTolkienNotToken t1_iu6aikl wrote

One of the most moving photos i have ever seen. Than you for sharing. Was this from an easy view point, or did you put in that work?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu6b9sh wrote

Aw thanks a lot! Literally 5min from the road, but that location is 3.5h from Tromso.

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glassvatt t1_iu861es wrote

Did you take the ferry? Wondrous place when the weather is right. Right now it is raining constantly.

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wordyplayer t1_iu6eeal wrote

I saw Northern Lights as a young kid, and my friend and I decided it was either UFO activity, or perhaps some kind of a war thing, and we ran home as fast as we could.

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Yellow_XIII t1_iu7di9f wrote

The composition of this shot is 10/10 😍

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sitspin t1_iu5r8wz wrote

Stunning!

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gudelaune OP t1_iu5rxhu wrote

Thank you! It's something else to see it in person :)

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sitspin t1_iu5s3dp wrote

I can only imagine! Hope to someday... 🤞🏻

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ibeherenow t1_iu694f9 wrote

Amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing.

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maluminse t1_iu6e2t6 wrote

It's like we flew through space and landed on a wonderful foreign alien planet.

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darkenedgy t1_iu6iula wrote

This is amazing and up there on my bucket list. Out of curiosity, what did it look like to the naked eye?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu6jz0w wrote

the sky looked pretty much identical, except I changed the colours a bit but the rest was way darker.

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Blinker1990 t1_iu6izqy wrote

Unbelievable. Great shot.

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carebear5359 t1_iu6kn1k wrote

Holy shit man I just smoked a bowl and seeing this picture just made my day! This is by far the absolutely most beautiful picture of them I have ever seen. Thank you so much for sharing this masterpiece you captured.

gif

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PoohBearsChick t1_iu6xbre wrote

This is just amazing. I sincerely hope to experience this one day.

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Dbsusn t1_iu72q25 wrote

Dat reflection doe.

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therealsix t1_iu7bnsd wrote

Magical. Thank you for sharing.

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DrTaterTot90 t1_iu7ijfo wrote

Jesus Christ I’m just gonna throw my whole camera away. This is amazing.

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red_ice994 t1_iu7ylr3 wrote

People want to watch other planets beauty. When they don't know even half of the one they live in. It's beautiful

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red_ice994 t1_iu7ymbu wrote

People want to watch other planets beauty. When they don't know even half of the one they live in. It's beautiful

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StuBonobo t1_iu6bfxy wrote

That’s so freaking beautiful. Thank you for sharing that amazing moment

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manyquietlives t1_iu6l2tw wrote

Feel like I got my emerald lenses equipped ☺️

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futurespacecadet t1_iu6mgmc wrote

Hey OP , this is an incredible shot! I’m in the middle of planning my trip to see the northern lights. It’s a pretty important trip for me and I’d love to know any tips for being able to catch them.

Do you know if they will be present end of December / or in January?

Are they as amazing in person or can you only see them after post processing?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7t7pw wrote

yes it's pretty much the same in person in the arctic! Not so much in Banff where I live tho haha. The season ends in a few months, so yes they will definitely be there. Just download a few aurora apps and don't look at the KP it's irrelevant there I've gotten this on a KP1 night. I look at the BZ mostly and cloud coverage.

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Jazzy_Bee t1_iu73zaa wrote

IMO they are even more impressive in person, especially in the far north. December/January is really the peak for them, mostly because there are the longest periods of darkness. Apparently this phenomenom happens during the daytime too, but we can't see them. Of course cloudy skies cover them up also. Try to avoid the full moon as sometimes they seem more subtle than others.

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oldmanconway t1_iu8cqlg wrote

They are strongest in September/October and then again in March, but you can see them any time of the year as long as it is dark enough (typically late August to early April near the Arctic Circle). The main problem is the weather. Autumn (Sept) and into early winter (Dec) is typically cloudy and wet, while it gets drier and less cloudy during winter and early spring (Jan-Mar). That said, this is not a pattern to rely 100% on, but it gives you a clue about what to expect. This is for the western coast of Northern Norway (where this picture was taken). Eastern parts (Finnmark) and the interior of Northern Sweden and Finland tends to be drier and less cloudy and with a more stable winter.

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tidytibs t1_iu6n4ao wrote

Magnificent work

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sanverstv t1_iu6p42l wrote

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

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iLfEdxSiKoFiT t1_iu6ql8r wrote

This is such an incredible and beautiful shot. Thank you for sharing.

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H_I_McDunnough t1_iu6ym3p wrote

That is a very nice photograph. Well done!

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802macguy t1_iu75cxs wrote

And…thanks for the Lock Screen pic.

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morgeous t1_iu774sh wrote

Majestic photo!

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swinging_on_peoria t1_iu77nf2 wrote

So what does this look like in person? Less dramatic?

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Nodwen t1_iu9kjq3 wrote

Even more dramatic since it moves

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Fjarah t1_iu78x5c wrote

This is becoming my phone background, holy shit.

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doriengray t1_iu7a7op wrote

Love it! My small business is the Northern Lights I love this.

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DolphinDarko t1_iu7ev32 wrote

Absolutely stunning!!! What was it like in person?

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abcd_z t1_iu7l31c wrote

I don't get it. How was the near pool crystal clear but the far pool choppy?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7t1n0 wrote

the pool in front was a small pond and in the back it's the arctic ocean ;)

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Pattont t1_iu7msft wrote

Amazing shot! Wow!

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mgmw2424 t1_iu7n03e wrote

Wow. Spectacular. Thanks for sharing

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37214 t1_iu7n5qu wrote

Friend of mine took a weeks long trip to Iceland to see the lights, got stiffed by clouds / bad weather the 2-3 nights they were out.

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jmanCP t1_iu7ogl4 wrote

What did you shoot with?

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keepsmiling1326 t1_iu7pk7a wrote

This is a phenomenal shot- well done and thanks for sharing!

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mrandr01d t1_iu7sr5e wrote

Wow. That's amazing.

I'm still learning about photography, but my understanding is a lot of these crazy night shots take advantage of physics to get images that we can't actually see with our naked eyes. How close was this image to what your eyes could see?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7sxb2 wrote

yeah that's the case back home in Banff, but in the arctic it pretty much looks like that! The whole sky got very bright it was something else.

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MonzieMe t1_iu7z656 wrote

So beautiful, thank you for sharing 💙💙💙

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EJNorth t1_iu80n1z wrote

Mefjordvær/Hamn?

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chyves t1_iu83nxa wrote

My pictures of the Aurora are such dog shit haha Lend me some of your talent will you? ❤️

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Borovorin t1_iu852mn wrote

What ENB preset are you using?

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yolo_wazzup t1_iu856ry wrote

Tungneset 😍 I have taken this image in four different seasons. I lived there for six months this winter, never got a proper northern lights experience, though we saw it several times.

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cheesy_way_out t1_iu88jrf wrote

A big item on my bucket list. What is the best time to travel to Norway to view the northern lights?

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leanmanagement t1_iu89d52 wrote

Can we get a link to bigger resolution version?

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Eneshi t1_iu89idi wrote

The Lifestream will stop Meteor.

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DanceLilia t1_iu8akth wrote

Wow!! I need to see this with my own eyes one day! 😍

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Zanzinye t1_iu8d015 wrote

This is so amazing I set it as my phone's wallpaper.

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nniracIes t1_iu8i24v wrote

magical and wonderful！

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MyWholeTeamsDead t1_iu8nqet wrote

Any stacking or compositing? Those stars look crystal and the water is perfectly reflective.

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ShubhamManna t1_iu8p4pz wrote

Man going to Norway to see northern lights irl is my dream <3

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Hawhyee t1_iu8pyze wrote

This is so beautiful, amazing how some places in this world are simply breathtaking.

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BillHallLA t1_iu8q9vh wrote

Why are they always turquoise or green colored?

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raziel911 t1_iu8zdja wrote

Woow dude. That's awesome

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RhinoFox0730 t1_iu94ax4 wrote

Immediately made this my wallpaper the moment I came across this! Soooo breathtaking!

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jayg2112 t1_iu990yb wrote

One of the best pictures I’ve ever seen - other worldly

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KingMwanga t1_iu9eyvn wrote

I know the infinite tsukyomi when I see it

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apatheticwondering t1_iu9igvw wrote

This is perfect phone background material. Although… I’d much rather be there looking at this gorgeousness with my own eyes.

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Wildjesta t1_iu9sh0n wrote

I flipped your image, honestly just looks reversed! I truly adore images with still water in them where you can flip them like this.

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MeDoMiHD t1_iu9zpst wrote

Senja is an amazing place, and this shot is immaculate. Im very jealous I haven't been there yet but I'm so happy you shared this :)

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_craigsmith t1_iu6nhqe wrote

OP I am looking to book a trip to Norway. Is this (2 weeks ago) the best time to see the lights?

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gudelaune OP t1_iu7zkgu wrote

I think early - mid sept was better, it started raining in Oct and it was hard to get clear skies. I'm going back late Jan - march that's also a very good time!

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_craigsmith t1_iu80tb6 wrote

Awesome thank you! And what city/area did you stay in? Sorry just like to hear from those that have been, I appreciate it!

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