When the stars come down - Duluth, MN

from flickr user Jeff Rennicke
A sky full of stars, paired with one very apparent shooting star, makes for a beautiful scene near Duluth, MN on a clear evening.

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Best of MinnPics - May 2014

from flickr user Elizabeth Nemmers
There is truly nothing like the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen to capture the essence of spring. This photo of a boardwalk through one of the wetland areas shows off the saturated green of leaf-covered trees against a blue sky. With the extended winters we've had for the past two years, it's scenery like this that makes the long wait well worth it.

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There's a (bad) moon on the rise

from flickr user Nicholas Upton
The photographer captured this photo of a barely visible tree line with the sky draped in a blanket of stars while waiting for the moon to rise over the vast North Star State.

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Blue farm skies

from flickr user Carol Schultz
I love the contrast between the cobalt blue sky and the partially swathed, rolling field of alfalfa in this farm photo which reminds us that warmer days aren't too far off.

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Norenberg Gardens - Crystal Bay, MN

from flickr user m01229
Looking up at the crisp, blue Autumn sky through a patch of Pampas Grass, this scene is one of many which definitively nail the mood of Autumn in Minnesota.

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Fall's reflection on the prairie

from flickr user SMR Labs
Taken at TOuch the Sky Prairie, the clouds are perfectly reflected in this picturesque pon framed by a stand of prairie grass.

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Lake Superior sunrise at -20° F - Duluth, MN

from flickr user ryan sharrow
For whatever reason, Minnesotans are always floored when our temperatures dip to double digits below zero for a week or so most every winter but the routine extreme cold does make for striking photos for those brave enough to venture outdoors during the face-freezing cold temps. This ominous, seemingly painted, royal blue sky in Duluth is the perfect example of being rewarded for being a brave photographer during our recent cold snap.

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Aurora Australis above Concordia Base

from flickr user europeanspaceagency
The photographer says: The ethereal green glow of Aurora Australis high over Concordia station on 18 July 2012. It was taken by ESA-sponsored scientist Alexander Kumar and his colleague Erick Bondoux from about 1 km from the station, located in the Antarctic at –75°S latitude. 

The French–Italian Concordia station's programme of research includes glaciology, human biology and the atmosphere. ESA uses the base to prepare for future long-duration missions beyond Earth. During the winter, Concordia is under almost total darkness, with an average temperature of –51°C and a record low of –85°C. It is an ideal place to study the effects on small, multicultural teams isolated for long periods in an extreme, hostile environment.

 Auroras occur frequently over both the North and South polar regions, but are often difficult to see from populated areas. During periods of increased solar activity, the lights sometimes extend to populated latitudes. This year has seen unusually high solar activity; most recently, on 14 July, Northern Lights could be seen as far south as Duluth, Minnesota, USA.

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