Here’s something I never expected: to be out photographing auroras Friday night instead of tucked snugly into my bed! I was caught off guard by a sudden impulse warning from the Space Weather Prediction Center, and took off to catch any auroras that developed.

My ace in the hole: friends on patrol for local law enforcement who can let me know if it’s worth saddling up the truck and throwing my gear therein. I got a text that the auroras were “crackin!” and that was all I needed.

Things didn’t pan out at the first place I went to, but I did notice this little tree in the middle of nowhere as I went looking for a suitable foreground object. I figured it would do just fine, and I was right.

You can bet I’ll have a better plan for the next time the auroras spike! I have dozens of places marked in my GPS, it’s just a matter of being ready to bolt there at a moment’s notice.