Dancing with STEVE: An Unforgettable Night Under the Northern Lights.

by Julie Boyer

A few minutes after 8 pm, I received an unexpected alert from the Aurora app. Surprised that there was any chance of seeing the northern lights, I quickly checked all my other apps to confirm the favorable conditions. Sure enough, tonight was shaping up to be a good one. Excited, I texted my aurora buddies and started preparing for the evening.

Don't miss another aurora event! Check out my post on Successfully Chasing the Aurora Borealis.

 

The forecast promised minimal clouds with winds up to 30 km/h, so I packed a variety of layers to ensure I’d stay comfortable through the night. Arriving at our favorite spot in Lantzville, I set up my fancy chair and camp mat with outdoor cushions, creating a cozy spot to stargaze while waiting for the show. As night fell, my friends began to arrive, and by 10 pm, nearly a dozen of us were staring at the horizon, eager for the lights to appear.

 

Using the astrophotography setting on my phone, I could see the green glow of the aurora, with white streaks visible to the naked eye. I warned my friends that the main event might not start until around 11 pm, but a few called it a night before then. My intuition proved right, and just minutes after most folks had left, the sky began to dance. Once again, I found myself marveling at the northern lights, with huge pillars of light shooting up toward the stars.

Watch a time-laspe video here.

Having learned to be patient, I let my phone do its job, collecting data for four minutes at a time to create a single photo and a 1.5-second time-lapse. I squealed with delight at the ever-changing display of cosmic energy. As midnight approached, I started to feel tired, and the lights began to fade, so I packed up most of my gear. Everyone except my beach bestie had headed home, and that was our plan too—until we noticed a wide white streak directly above us, growing brighter by the minute.

 

We moved along the beach to get a better angle and tilted my tripod back as far as it would go, aiming my phone at the sky. Four minutes later, I was sure we had captured a STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement). “STEVE is caused by a ribbon of hot gases rather than particles like electrons and protons like the auroras. The primary sources of space weather are solar flares and associated solar coronal mass ejections. These eruptive events on the sun release photons and energetic particles that collide with Earth and its protective magnetic field, or magnetosphere.” ([Source])

 

As I stood in awe of what was happening above me, I almost missed the orange crescent moon rising on the horizon. It turned out to be the bucket-list shot I didn’t know I wanted. With only a sliver of the moon shining, the aurora continued to dance around it as it rose. I couldn’t help but declare out loud how incredibly grateful I was to witness this moment. What a gift that this is my life!

 

We lingered until close to 1 am, and although the show wasn’t over, STEVE had faded, and so did I. Carefully avoiding any errant night creatures, I drove home, eager to glimpse my photos and videos before heading to sleep. Thrilled by what I’d captured, I finally turned off the lights shortly before 2 am.

Not to worry, my friend, this won’t be the last opportunity to see the aurora borealis this year. Check out my blog post on how to successfully chase the northern lights. And if you enjoy my photos and writing, keep in touch with my daily sunrise photo and gratitude inspiration email at bit.ly/DailySunrisePhoto.

The 2025 Vancouver Island Seascapes Calendar is now available for purchase, with shipping available across Canada and the continental US.

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