Photo of the Week for August 26, 2016

Even though solar activity is currently on the wane, an occasional northern lights spectacle still occurs once in a while. The key to capturing a shot like the one presented here is to be vigilant and have your camera close at hand. And on any clear night, simply step outside to have a look before going to bed. You just might be surprised by what you see.

Krista Trinder captured this colourful scene in the early hours of August 4, 2016, at Childs Lake, Manitoba. In addition to an impressive northern lights, keen-eyed viewers will note the Pleiades cluster near the horizon at the centre of the frame. (Click on the image to see a full-size version.) Krista made this 15-second exposure at ISO 3200 with a Nikon D750 DSLR camera fitted with a Nikon Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 zoom lens set to 24mm.