‘Tis the season to be jolly in the presence of twinkling lights. Dark winter nights, though cold and long, give us more time with the stars. Or in this case, a chance to witness the captivating sway and shimmer of Aurora Borealis at Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. The waves of color come from bursts of solar wind and magnetic fields as they interact with elements in the Earth’s atmosphere. Northern lights happen all year long, but we need darkness to see them. It’s a reminder that we all live in a universe full of bright objects. If you’re going out to photograph or admire the night sky on public lands, dress warmly, check the website for current conditions and be sure to come back and tell us about it! Photograph by Keith Ramos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Check out these helpful astrophotography tips for night owls. 

Starlight stretches across the night sky at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Clear views of the Milky Way and the search for shooting stars and meteor showers keep us inspired to look up. Rising from sea level to 13,677 feet, Hawai'i Volcanoes encompasses the summits of two of the world’s most active volcanoes - Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. But despite all the activity happening underfoot, we cannot forget to look up. “But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. Photo by Janice Wei, National Park Service (@hawaiivolcanoesnps).

The comet NEOWISE glows in the night sky above Nebraska’s iconic Chimney Rock. Both sights bring such hope and inspiration. A prominent part of the landscape during the western migration, Chimney Rock, used to be substantially taller. Overtime wind, erosion and lightning have cut down its height, but it remains a striking landmark. Erik Johnson remarks, “As I stood there in silence under the moonlight, I couldn’t help but wonder what other remarkable celestial events were witnessed by travelers before me, in the dark skies above the towering rock formation.”  Photo of Chimney Rock, a significant landmark for those traveling on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails, courtesy of Erik Johnson.

“The sky is a meadow of wildstar flowers.” ― Ann Zwinger Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge in Florida offered photographer Cody Laub a dark sky scattered with stars. “When I got out of my car and looked up, I could see the Milky Way with my naked eye. It felt so surreal.” The refuge is comprised of 13 small islands ranging from 1 to 120 acres in size. Take a kayak or boat and explore the small islands for birdwatching, hiking and lovely time on the water. Bring bug spray and your sense of adventure. Photo courtesy of Cody Laub.

Photographer Bob Wick captures a meteorite swooping high above the treetops on a clear and moonless night at the California Coastal National Monument. Here, the rocks and islets at Trinidad offer an essential place for tens of thousands of nesting seabirds. The trees that make up the silhouette of Pewetole island are Sitka spruce– fir trees that are often found further north in Oregon and Alaska but are rare in California. Photograph by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

Spring wildflowers in the west are now blooming further north and at higher in elevation as spring progresses. Here the Milky Way looms above the 9,000 foot peaks of the Granite Range in far northwest Nevada. Arrow-leaf Balsamroot blooming in the foreground were buffeted by winds during this long exposure to create an impressionist look. The Nobles route of the California National Historic Trail passes along the base of the mountains after crossing one of the harshest parts of the journey west through the Black Rock Desert. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management.

The waterfalls and granite cliffs provide endless wonder at Yosemite National Park in California. With scenery sculpted by glaciers carving and smoothing the mountains, Yosemite’s waterfalls flow over the rock cliffs making a moonbow or “lunar rainbow” possible. In the spring and early summer, if the sky is clear and the moon is full, it can produce enough light to create a rainbow from a waterfall’s mist. Just another reason why Yosemite is a magical place. Pic courtesy of Dave Lyons.  

Today is the final day of International Dark Sky Week (March 31- April 7th), a week that that honors natural darkness. Spending time under the open sky and seeing the Milky Way with unaided eyes sparks such wonder and fascination. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve in Idaho is one of the designated International Dark Sky Parks, offering visitors a chance to relish time under the stars. Photo by Frederick Melikian (www.sharetheexperience.org)

Happy Birthday, Mount Rainier National Park! Home to the tallest mountain in Washington, the beauty of this park spikes the adrenaline and astounds us even on the darkest nights. As a spiritual and cultural icon of the Pacific Northwest, Mount Rainier is a place of beauty, solace, challenge, and hope for the future. Here’s to another year of cherishing this remarkable place. Photo courtesy Christine Kenyon.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away … Stargazing at Arches National Park is out of this world. On a moonless night, you can see a wealth of stars with the naked eye. Happy May the 4th be with you! Photo of Delicate Arch courtesy of Joshua Snow.