Explosion of the Midnight Sun

Four days before summer solstice, I took a group of out-of-town photographers to Point Woronzof, a bluff on the western coast of Anchorage. After shooting some great photos of their own, they all had to return to their accommodations by 11pm to rest before an early flight the next morning. But I stayed, hoping for a nice light show after sunset. Just after 12:30 am, I got what I was waiting for. The skies above Mt. Susitna, 35 miles to the west, lit up yellow, purple, and magenta. In this five-minute exposure, the Midnight Sun resembles the Aurora.