[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"smugmug-image-Bwpx4F6":3,"smugmug-image-GVg2FDw":10,"smugmug-image-t7sfQ2n":17,"smugmug-image-nX6jc8c":23,"smugmug-image-88Cnmcg":28,"smugmug-image-cGCpt27":35,"smugmug-image-QKkqMWD":42,"smugmug-image-rVSFnVk":47,"smugmug-image-QCtrVxJ":54,"smugmug-image-rsZrFT7":59,"smugmug-image-BchswND":66,"smugmug-image-nHv3jFW":71},{"imageKey":4,"thumbnailUrl":5,"largestUrl":6,"webUri":7,"title":8,"caption":9},"Bwpx4F6","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-Bwpx4F6\u002F0\u002FKnBVKpt77QXTB62g3dmRcm3Q4pc28XCRDDNRP49mz\u002FTh\u002Fi-Bwpx4F6-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-Bwpx4F6\u002F0\u002FKfx5rD42ZZ2N4nLjqRjCpkMd4Dt9jnpvXJ8jrJsKd\u002FXL\u002Fi-Bwpx4F6-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-Bwpx4F6","Pink, Green & Gold","On March 17, I was lucky enough to witness a huge northern lights show, courtesy of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun a few days earlier. We saw nearly every colour the aurora appears in as it danced from one side of the sky to the other.",{"imageKey":11,"thumbnailUrl":12,"largestUrl":13,"webUri":14,"title":15,"caption":16},"GVg2FDw","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-GVg2FDw\u002F0\u002FKKjCqDMksnwcdfj96QQrZ274XfPHpv69dTKPSc9WR\u002FTh\u002Fi-GVg2FDw-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-GVg2FDw\u002F0\u002FKdSBt8fmDc4J5ZQJz3gzFqMnvKTvKmzBBKxmq5SXR\u002FX2\u002Fi-GVg2FDw-X2.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-GVg2FDw","Zigzag","When we first hiked 400m up a hill in Kâtkâvaara, Finnish Lapland, to see the northern lights, our guide pointed out north and told us that was the direction the lights would come from. Then we turned south and saw this! The lights stretched from horizon to horizon that night…it was stunning.",{"imageKey":18,"thumbnailUrl":19,"largestUrl":20,"webUri":21,"title":22,"caption":22},"t7sfQ2n","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-t7sfQ2n\u002F0\u002FNKjGDXmxQ6t79bkDksqn3mjxS5mNTRgsdQttQq3xV\u002FTh\u002Fi-t7sfQ2n-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-t7sfQ2n\u002F0\u002FK7sNLhTrPLRKKckzzDcfwXWqXVJ6vHjDbhdZBz6zh\u002FXL\u002Fi-t7sfQ2n-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-t7sfQ2n","",{"imageKey":24,"thumbnailUrl":25,"largestUrl":26,"webUri":27,"title":22,"caption":22},"nX6jc8c","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-nX6jc8c\u002F0\u002FK82jRkLV4NFF4QDhWfpMDfNrBtNcSpsRqd6V2DxLB\u002FTh\u002Fi-nX6jc8c-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-nX6jc8c\u002F0\u002FMX5BNMmrR3jqB57RBTCtQnk4BcTXTNgckfwtVVjKv\u002FXL\u002Fi-nX6jc8c-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-nX6jc8c",{"imageKey":29,"thumbnailUrl":30,"largestUrl":31,"webUri":32,"title":33,"caption":34},"88Cnmcg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-88Cnmcg\u002F0\u002FK7mqqmNFRFrzkD7FHj7FXpgB26drQ7vHgcQJM3F9Z\u002FTh\u002Fi-88Cnmcg-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-88Cnmcg\u002F0\u002FLtFRVWkXf9ZnHvXM277tQTWt5Gk6dVwh52FdPfGbF\u002FXL\u002Fi-88Cnmcg-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-88Cnmcg","The Aurora Hunters","One year ago today, on St. Patrick's Day 2013, a massive solar storm lit up the skies above Finnish Lapland. I was lucky enough to have booked a tour that night to Katkavaara, a nature reserve far away from the lights of any city, so we had an unadulterated view of the night sky. It was an experience that is beyond words.",{"imageKey":36,"thumbnailUrl":37,"largestUrl":38,"webUri":39,"title":40,"caption":41},"cGCpt27","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-cGCpt27\u002F0\u002FLRxChMcn9Bsmt7hgPk5j5sxrpHw6cL8wD3dVfvFG6\u002FTh\u002Fi-cGCpt27-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-cGCpt27\u002F0\u002FNCMMgwpT7vpdN6LhLF7krsdbmcqcqqLRpBdkc58v2\u002FXL\u002Fi-cGCpt27-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-cGCpt27","The Best Sort of Storm","Because there is supposed to be a massive geomagnetic storm hitting the earth's atmosphere today, here's a shot from a solar storm that I witnessed. \n\nThis shot of the northern lights was taken as our guide was trying to shuttle us back down to the bus at the end of our tour. Luckily, we dug in our heels and asked if we could stay for just a few more minutes, since those minutes featured the most impressive auroras I've ever seen. They were moving so quickly across the sky, with coronas wildly pulsating above our heads, that I soon gave up taking photos and simply stared at it in awe.",{"imageKey":43,"thumbnailUrl":44,"largestUrl":45,"webUri":46,"title":22,"caption":22},"QKkqMWD","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-QKkqMWD\u002F0\u002FKKPgS7HdfD79GCrPnZWxXp2HR6cH6pwnz4Ns46mrh\u002FTh\u002Fi-QKkqMWD-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-QKkqMWD\u002F0\u002FL2JpJsBNNJM8m4G8qRZcNzqVr5pHNdbNzCFnW7ffn\u002FXL\u002Fi-QKkqMWD-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-QKkqMWD",{"imageKey":48,"thumbnailUrl":49,"largestUrl":50,"webUri":51,"title":52,"caption":53},"rVSFnVk","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-rVSFnVk\u002F0\u002FLgxx5ZnhPWKLBHmcP97B8XXS2RnTxXSzbTDvj29H7\u002FTh\u002Fi-rVSFnVk-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-rVSFnVk\u002F0\u002FKqnVp3s663gtv4G8LNtLQ2cHPq3RdNtZnmFcTNsjt\u002FXL\u002Fi-rVSFnVk-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-rVSFnVk","Smiling Sky","Like with clouds, it's amazing what you can see in the shapes of the northern lights. I swear I can see a smiley in this shot from the top of a hill in Kätkävaara, Finland. Can you?",{"imageKey":55,"thumbnailUrl":56,"largestUrl":57,"webUri":58,"title":22,"caption":22},"QCtrVxJ","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-QCtrVxJ\u002F0\u002FMZzpCZTNbKjz3kShfKZMzwNg6fRJ2T9K5HFVKZRLH\u002FTh\u002Fi-QCtrVxJ-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-QCtrVxJ\u002F0\u002FNRm7MchnnJw7ZqB2QNr72QKXSP2chDjpsHKgpsQSQ\u002FXL\u002Fi-QCtrVxJ-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-QCtrVxJ",{"imageKey":60,"thumbnailUrl":61,"largestUrl":62,"webUri":63,"title":64,"caption":65},"rsZrFT7","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-rsZrFT7\u002F0\u002FMCWm9kMNh3Vp98xTHHn4bssSGkVdH5vPjSnFBQjRz\u002FTh\u002Fi-rsZrFT7-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-rsZrFT7\u002F0\u002FLHLC3gVrV6JTr32kfZnbskBc5j6DJGX9WjkX7bBcN\u002FXL\u002Fi-rsZrFT7-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-rsZrFT7","The Sky Is Falling","The movement in the aurora during the solar storm on March 17 was just unbelievable. It was moving across the sky faster than we could follow it. It danced, it morphed, and at times like this one, it looked like it was falling straight through the atmosphere towards the Earth.",{"imageKey":67,"thumbnailUrl":68,"largestUrl":69,"webUri":70,"title":22,"caption":22},"BchswND","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-BchswND\u002F0\u002FNZXGv7j9L92Xbcx8b9tCJx8mQ6sNG77C9hzxwGkTT\u002FTh\u002Fi-BchswND-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-BchswND\u002F0\u002FLpkX5R5m6rjhKxc52SXg4GQGGPXb9mhJMPMVw98Sq\u002FXL\u002Fi-BchswND-XL.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-BchswND",{"imageKey":72,"thumbnailUrl":73,"largestUrl":74,"webUri":75,"title":22,"caption":22},"nHv3jFW","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-nHv3jFW\u002F0\u002FMsRFdxTZRgdngz3sm2WV8ZB5vdRqV7Vn3Qj98VrBS\u002FTh\u002Fi-nHv3jFW-Th.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fphotos.smugmug.com\u002Fphotos\u002Fi-nHv3jFW\u002F0\u002FLJWm5bbKthgr44hzvDQBS5C768wqZZrHcc7Cx2r6L\u002FX2\u002Fi-nHv3jFW-X2.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fkristinrepsher.smugmug.com\u002FBlog-Posts\u002FLapland-Travel\u002F20140318-Celebrating-St-Patricks-Day-with-the-Aurora-and\u002Fn-JQ72PP\u002Fi-nHv3jFW"]