Thursday, December 16, 2010

needing more light


Speaking of magical lights (as I did a few days ago) a Norwegian photographer has made a timelapse video of the Aurora Borealis. This beautiful dance of light that happens only in the northernmost reaches would be wonderful to see, but since few of us are likely to go to Malmo, I decided to post the film. It's too beautiful not to share.



I hope you are keeping well in the long dark.
Brighter days are coming by and by.

17 comments:

  1. Oh, thank you, Susan, so much for this!

    On my 'bucket list' is the entry to visit Alaska (or someplace just as far north) to see the Aurora in person. Just in case I don't get to do that, I have this video to visit again and again.

    Wishing you much light and unending warmth to see you through this seasonal darkness and cold.

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  2. That's really beautiful, Susan. Thank you!

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  3. Dear Crow, does it lack of impossibility that you picked the video? Erroneously, of course.

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  4. Wow. Thank you. It makes me want to see them in person.

    The lack of light is making me want to sleep so much right now. I pick up a book and zzzzz.

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  5. I've been hitting the hay earlier than I usually do and having all these vivid dreams that I actually remember to boot.

    I saw some northern lights once when I was a child--so beautiful.

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  6. Dammit, that's so ridiculously fantastic.

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  7. first magical trees, now magical skies.... which are fairly common here, but, sadly, not usually visible in cities where the street lights compete with the amazing light show overhead. just after i'd bought an old church in a small town, years ago, (which was renovated into a lovely home where we lived for more than 15 years) i drove past to check that the furnace was running, etc one deeply dark and bitterly cold night. all was well. as i pulled away from the curb i could see that the faint beginnings of auroras had intensified into a magnificent heavenly spectacle. every home i drove past on my way out of town had a smaller flicker of light playing as well, with folks gathered round, staring in fascination at the television. it saddened me so much that they clearly preferred the poor imitation, that when i reached the next town, where i knew the realtor who'd sold me the old church lived, i drove to his house. it was nearly midnight, but his lights were on, so i rung his doorbell. i hardly knew the man, but he'd seemed like a decent fellow, so when he came to the door, i told him he had to dress up warmly and come outside, which he did - with a cautious look on his face. we lay side by side on our backs in the deep snow on his back lawn for a half hour watching the auroras. and he became, and still is, one of my best friends.

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  8. Fabulous video! I've seen others in the past from the far northern Scandinavian area and from our Arctic region and am always swept up by their magic and mysticism It's been a long time since I blogged about these and ones we've seen. I wrote in the comment was: "Our most memorable sighting occurred the night of our wedding as we were driving east from Winnipeg to the Lake of the Woods for our honeymoon. The wide open prairie sky was ablaze with the shape-shifting, glowing green and ghostly streaks. We thought it was a good omen for a long and happy marriage!"

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  9. the crow - I felt the same way about seeing this video. Once, long ago in Montreal, I saw a hint of them but the city is too far south for a proper show.

    I wish you and your dear family the same warmth and light.

    francis - My pleasure :-)

    sean - Truth to tell it was Crow who found it but he immediately flew north for a close-up view.

    lisa - I don't like this time of year when the sun comes up late and leaves early. I do much the same because the little lamps just aren't enough.

    liberality - I must admit I'm still staying up late and reading rather than sleeping and dreaming but I'm not especially energetic.

    I'm glad you got to see them. I too only saw a hint of them once but they were amazing enough to be worthy of the word awesome.

    randal - Good. Glad you liked it.

    gfid - That was such a wonderful story I read it to numb. People were much better off and much smarter in general before the advent of television. We're not nearly far enough north here to see the Auroras but I'm looking forward to an icicle or two :-)

    marja-leena - Having the Auroras light the skies on your wedding night was an extraordinarily good omen - and one that proved true. How deeply and wonderfully nice.

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  10. Incredible. Thank you for sharing this. WIshing you a weekend filled with light.
    xoxo

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  11. belette - I wish the same for you :-)

    jams - I'm very glad you enjoyed it.

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  12. hello dear susan, what a wonderful display was this...i posted it to my grandkid blog i keep for them...the town is where many of husband's relatives live, believe it or not...very very cold and far far away ;)
    xx

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  13. The first thing my son said when he returned from Sweden the other day was "Too much light!" He's been used to having only a few hours a day of sunlight and even when they had it, it wasn't that bright. I guess we just need to put it in perspective, eh?

    Would love to see the Aurora Borealis in person some day.

    --Nunly/Mary Ellen

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  14. linda - I really hope they enjoyed it. Are they far enough north they could go outside to see them?

    nunly - Yes, that far north they really do have a very long dark. I have dear friend who is Swedish who reveled in the watery sunlight of Vancouver, BC in winter.

    I wouldn't mind making a trip to see them if I could be guaranteed I wouldn't have to wait long :-)

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  15. What a beautiful video. I wonder if the people who are born and grow up where the AB is seen might have a different brain development than the rest of us. I find it hard to believe that it wouldn't.

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  16. lydia - It is a real beauty isn't it? My closest friend who grew up in Sweden is a very deeply spiritual woman. The Auroras may indeed be part of her being.

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