‘Awe-Inspiring Sights’: Aurora Spotter Captures Ultra-Rare Orange and Pink Northern Lights in Norway

Courtesy of Markus Varik

Not once, but twice this season, Norwegian skywatchers have been delighted by a super rare showing of the aurora borealis displaying unusual pink and purple hues, fading into an even rarer orange. Stunning photos depict the northern lights in a whole new visual dimension.

Estonia-born photographer Markus Varik, 37, has trekked widely for his photos since 2009 and now calls northern Norway home where he works as a tour guide and photographer.

“I am busy fulfilling people’s dreams to see the northern lights,” Markus told The Epoch Times. “The world simply seemed a stunning place, and worth being saved in photographs. It started as a hobby and grew into a profession.”

A stunning sight of the northern lights appears in pink hues on Nov. 2, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

The northern lights appear in surreal pink and green hues on Nov. 2, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

On Nov. 2, 2022, Markus took a group of skywatchers to Tromsø in northern Norway, 220 miles north of the Arctic Circle, after calculating the best spot for a sighting of the aurora.

“It was a very exciting time before it happened,” he said. “I work a lot with satellite images to track the best sky, and saw a nice opening moving in from the east. We drove out from town, reaching the location of preference and it was still a bit too cloudy. After waiting 10 to 15 minutes, the sky cleared up perfectly, and only then the great pink display happened.”

Some guests cried, some laughed, some screamed, and some were left dumbfounded by the sublime spectacle.

A pink and green aurora borealis appears reflected on water and in the skies overhead on Dec. 10, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

A sighting of the northern lights over water on Dec. 10, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

“Even for me, these shows are super rare—the strongest pinks I have ever seen after seeing the aurora between what must be 1,300 to 1,400 times over the course of the past ten years,” Markus said, likening the experience to a psychedelic, ayahuasca ritual.

“Words couldn’t do it justice. Even after you look at the photos, it gives very little insight,” he said. “After the awe-inspiring sights, the clouds took over once again. It really felt like someone opened the skies for us to experience that fantastic phenomenon.”

Markus shared his photos from the Nov. 2 aurora sighting on Facebook, posting: “No idea why auroras went orange, as I haven’t seen that before ... once the skies exploded upon us, it was a total surprise for all of us.”

Markus’s pictures were picked up by major news outlets around the world and were even featured live on Japanese morning television. Incredibly, the pink aurora returned on Dec. 10 to be captured on camera a second time.

A recent orange-tinged aurora borealis captured by Markus Varik on Jan. 14, 2023. Courtesy of Markus Varik

A recent aurora sighting with a fellow photographer in the foreground on Jan. 14, 2023. Courtesy of Markus Varik

“I don’t consider myself a religious character, but sometimes, experiencing strong northern lights displays, I get pretty close,” Markus told the newspaper. “I have had four to five different ‘epiphany moments’ in my life—becoming a father, a full solar eclipse, kayaking with a huge amount of whales, loving a woman—and the aurora borealis is definitely very high on this list.”

Markus’s aurora tours require meticulous preparation: forecasting the weather, calculating potential for the clearest skies, and guarding against the often bitter cold.

“We always bring thermal suits, boots, tripods, heat pads, food and snacks, hot drinks, hats, and gloves with us,” Markus said. “I have been on tour a few times in -36 degrees Celsius, and then it is all about prepping for these conditions. Even then, it might be unbearably cold for some people.”

Stunning pinks and greens dance overhead on Dec. 7, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

A spectacular light show in the night sky on Jan. 14, 2023. Courtesy of Markus Varik

But the cold is a “small price to pay” for magnificent views, Markus said.

The northern lights are triggered by energy particles from the sun entering Earth’s atmosphere and colliding with the planet’s magnetic field. These collisions are sometimes magnified by geomagnetic storms. Rare pink aurora hues result from the sun’s energy particles interacting with nitrogen in the atmosphere some 60 miles above the planet’s surface, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich.

Markus got his first “real” camera in 2008 and gradually gravitated toward aurora photography. Today, he uses his Canon 5DM4 camera with excellent red tone depiction and Sigma lenses, which are well attuned to lowlight aurora sightings. He aims to capture these impressive phenomena in fresh and interesting ways

“Since I have to go out and guide groups almost every day, I can push myself easily to do so,” he said, adding that he faces stiff competition from other aurora photographers.

Northern lights at an expedition campsite on Dec. 10, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

Brilliant northern lights appear in the night sky on Dec. 10, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

Markus leads tours around Tromsø in northern Norway, as well as the Lyngen Alps, Senja, Lofoten, and northern Lapland. He takes photos almost every night from early September until the end of March—the best times for aurora viewing—when the sky is sufficiently dark.

Markus is pleased that his work has been well-received.

“It seems like it has helped to light up some people’s lives, which makes me all warm and fuzzy inside,” he said. “Showing people something natural which makes them feel good, that’s one of the best things about my job.

“Some of the photos I have taken have reached tens of millions of people, so bringing joy to all these people is a really humbling experience.”

A green aurora dances in the background before a herd of caribou on January 5, 2023. Courtesy of Markus Varik

A pink ribbon of aurora borealis appears along a backroad on Nov. 2, 2022. Courtesy of Markus Varik

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