Dark Skies Community Conversation on WTIP
WTIP hosted a community conversation program March 18 as part of the ‘Night & Day’ 2021 spring/winter membership drive.
The program focused on the amazing dark skies over the WTIP listening area, including Lake Superior and the Boundary Waters Podcast.
The audio at the bottom of the page is the entire program as it aired live March 18. The program was hosted by WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs.
Below are some of the stories that were submitted before the community conversation.
David Coleman, UMD Planetarium and Dark Skies Researcher:
My first BWCA/Aurora experience was over 50 years ago. After a summer of research in the UMD Chemistry Department several of us made our first multi-day trip out of the old Sawbill Lodge. About the 4th night we were camped on an island, zero wind, clear skies, when a brilliant multi-hour display came up. The lake was like a mirror and after while the line between the sky and the lake was indistinguishable. All made better by fresh-caught lake trout and some very pleasing beverages. Will never forget that evening.
David also noted a new SkyCam capability that will soon be available for dark sky live-streaming from the Chik-Wauk Museum & Nature Center; in partnership with the UMD Planetarium. A test video from last weekend is affixed. We hope to 'go live' in a month or two.
Geri Gecas Heston
I don’t remember my first Aurora sighting, but the most memorable happened on the 4th of July, back in the early 70’s. My best friend, Solveig Preus Fiene, from the Canadian side of Gunflint Lake, was giving me a boat ride back to Heston’s at midnight. The whole sky was on fire, pulsing in reds and greens, flying across the whole sky. We shut the motor off and just laid back on the boat seats to watch the greatest fireworks show on earth.
Pat Zankman
The first time I saw the Northern Lights I was with friends, probably after a Friday night movie walking home from Leng's Shore Theater! Walking with our heads up watching the sky.
Jennifer Schulz
The day after the Windigo fire, I was so distraught I couldn’t sleep. I went out to the Cutface on Hwy. 61 in the middle of the night and the sky was ablaze with multi-colored pinwheels (only time I’ve ever seen pinwheels). The most peaceful feeling came over me. Those souls who had gone were telling me they were ok now.
Susan Gecas
There was one summer night in the 70’s that stood out. I was driving with friends down the back roads and the sky lit up. We came to an open spot and stopped the car and got out to run in the field. They were coming down around us in curtains touching the ground in red, yellow and green.
Beth and Tim Kennedy
We were staying at Rossport, in Ontario one beautiful warm night and decided to go out kayaking! Just as we got on the water the sky did a beautiful dance of pink lights flashing and dancing for about 15 minutes then it was over! An incredible feeling!
Christal Stone Kelahan
Growing up in Colvill, I saw the northern lights often. But does anyone remember them making noise? I remember we could hear the screeching sounds along with the beauty. The best time that I saw them was in the early 2000’s. I had to drive from Lutsen to Grand Marais and the lights were everywhere. Over the lake, over the hill, in front of the car, in back of the car. Everyone driving that night was either pulled over onto the side of the road or driving 20 mph. It was just spectacular!
John Anderson
I can't remember when I saw the lights in the sky but my family was at Saint Croix State Park with a park ranger as she was showing us the different constellations when we see what looks like a star moving very fast among the other stars and the ranger said that was the space shuttle. Totally awesome!
Trish Francis
On the Sisseton Wahpeton reservation, in South Dakota with my little sister. She was 10, I was 13. We were walking, then running through a huge meadow when the northern lights came down in the fog, surrounding my little sister and myself!
We ran for what seemed miles, thinking that aliens were landing!!!! Still one of the strangest experiences!!!
Jaye White
I was maybe 8 or 9 and woke up in the middle of the night seeing the lights shining into my bedroom window. I laid there and watched them dance around outside for a while and then they faded away. For years (like, 5+ years) I thought I was making the whole thing up or it was a dream until I saw them again as a teen out my window.
Jamie Rex
Before we lived up here on the North Shore, we attempted to see the lights every time we visited camping, and didn't have a ton of success. My first time seeing them was at our previous home in Buffalo, Minn., it was so bright it was visible in the driveway right in town. We drove to a darker country road to watch more. The show was huge, filling the whole sky north and south with big pulsing coronas above our heads. I was so totally blown away by the beauty of it. I still am every single time.
The audio below is the entire program as it aired live March 18.
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