23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
A Celstial Dance

This photo shows the northern lights and Milky Way sharing the night sky together. A rare sight in West Virginia, the October 2024 solar storm brought the aurora to many places where it would normally be invisible. When the moon set below the horizon, the Milky Way appeared and for a brief time, it shared the sky witht the dancing lights of the aurora borealis.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: N/A, West Virginia, United States of America
Camera: ILCE-7RM3
Copyright: © Matthew Grahovac