Esrey Park view of Aurora Borealis & Lake Superior

This photo was taken at Esrey Park, looking onto Lake Superior. To get there, you'll need to travel by car. On the highway, take M-26 South out of Copper Harbor (heading West). Continue for 8.6 miles along M-26. Then, turn right into the main entrance of Esrey Park. Park near the restroom building and walk a few feet to the Lake Superior shoreline. To get to the exact spot where I stood to take the photo, follow the GPS coordinates.

September and October are best to photograph the aurora from Esrey Park. Aurora is also present around March and April but the snow will make it very challenging.

When it comes to chasing the aurora, it is going to depend on the particular solar storm that’s producing it. Time will vary. It may hit our atmosphere right at twilight, sometimes in the middle of the night or just before dawn. Please follow the data provided by NOAA or spaceweather.com, for predictive information about the aurora. There is no set time of night that it could happen, although you do need clear skies. A full moon will wash out the aurora, unless it’s a very strong storm.

When shooting the aurora, it'll be difficult to see anything through your view finder. One thing I do is take a shot with a super high ISO in order to be able to see what I'm shooting.

With the aurora, typically what happens is that there are periods of peak activity and it will die down. This peak activity are called sub-storms and the aurora can flare up very dramatically, which usually lasts less than 20 minutes. I generally have a rule for myself that during a sub-storm, I don’t go anywhere and I stay put. If I have a composition, I stick with it.

Think about the North Horizon. Generally speaking that’s where the aurora is going to be. When scouting, think about ways to compose shots that includes the Northern Horizon. Ask the question, "If I'm shooting North, what would I get in my view finder?"

The aurora very rarely appears on the east side and only occasionally on the west.

I typically scout out locations in a day and pick places that I think I could stand if the aurora appears. Once it gets dark and if you're at a location for the very first time, it can be dangerous because you don’t know the trip hazard. It can also be a waste of time chasing around trying to find a spot, so scouting in advance is really helpful.

Copper Harbor is a small, nearby village that is one of Michigan's best mountain biking destinations. They offer an incredible number of trails, so if you enjoy mountain biking, I recommend checking this area out!

Estivant Pines is a park where people can hike through the ancient pines.