Northern lights with tee-pee in the foreground. Brad Josephs photo.
Natural Habitat travelers with guide Brad Josephs have been experiencing some of the most incredible northern lights of the year in Churchill. These beautiful photographs with the aurora overhead highlight the dynamic greenish swirls being fueled by higher than normal solar flare activity. As you can see, even a bus with interior lights takes on a dynamic look when surrounded by northern lights. Temperatures have been cold though bearable when observing such rare displays of aurora borealis.
With the Hudson Bay Quest only nine days away, the excitement is building with these nightly displays of mother nature’s fireworks!
A view back towards Churchill with amazing aurora. Brad Josephs photo.
Incredible northern lights with a reminder of bear season. Brad Josephs photo.
A reminder of polar bear season with aurora above. Brad Josephs photo.
Even a bus looks beautiful with the northern lights above. Brad Josephs photo.
The northern lights have been shining brightly recently in Churchill. As we are roughly two-thirds through the aurora season, this is a perfect opportunity to showcase a few shots taken of vibrant northern lights in Churchill! We welcome your photos from Churchill anytime of the year. Enjoy!
This photograph highlights how foreground scenery can enhance the feel and look of the aurora. Go to polarbearalley.com for more information and illustrative shots of the region. This has been one of the most spectacular northern lights season in a long time in the Churchill region.
Sleek line of aurora borealis in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.
Aurora with igloo in foreground. Justin Gibson photo.
This exciting video shows the process of releasing a polar bear from the polar bear holding facility. Bears are sedated and moved outside the facility, placed in a net and then flown by helicopter about 40 miles up the northern coast.
Once the helicopter lands the polar bears are released on the tundra. When they awake, the hope is that they will not return to Churchill prior to season end. Sometimes they do make it back and wind up back in “jail”.
The Churchill Northern Studies Center has been an icon of the Churchill region for long time. In 1976 the Center was founded as an non-profit independent research and education facility. Located 23 km east of the town of Churchill, the facility provides the perfect secluded setting for scientists and researchers working on many different northern projects. The center also offers a wide range of general public scientific classes as well as university credit courses.
Churchill Northern Studies Center with aurora borealis. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
The grand diversity of this region attracts a wide range of mammals, birds, plants and humans. Three major biomes diverge along the Hudson Bay coast and eastern perimeter of Wapusk National Park. The park acts as a natural buffer zone to protect the denning areas of female polar bears. The southeastern Hudson Bay lowlands lay claim to the largest peat – lands in North America. All this makes the location of the center a prime destination for researchers and students with diverse interests in Arctic research and education.
Earthwatch tree island meteorological station. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
Natural Habitat Adventures and other travel groups have been utilizing the center to expose travelers to the incredible facility for many years now. The center also has a northern lights viewing dome and observation station providing a panoramic view of the tundra all the way to the Hudson Bay.
Incredible biodiversity on the tundra in Churchill. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
Churchill Northern Studies Center Director Michael Goodyear on the lookout for polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
Earthwatch research project and group at the Churchill Northern Study Center in Churchill, Manitoba. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
Rocket launch silo adjacent to the Churchill Northern Studies Center. Churchill Northern Studies Center photo.
Churchill is experiencing a warm spell with temperatures this week in the single fahrenheit digits. The “warmer” air is welcome after an extended streak of frigid cold the past few weeks. The region currently has light snow with the temperatures to dip below zero for the next couple of days and then back above that mark by week’s end.
This weeks photos are in honor of the warmth. Summer will be here before you know it and here are some fun Arctic northern summer shots to keep you warm! Enjoy!
August colors of the tundra. Ed Bouvier photo.
Pisew Falls near Thompson, Manitoba. Steve Selden photo.
Looking for polar bears from Fort Prince of Wales in Churchill. Steve Selden photo.
polar bear emerging from the boreal forest. Steve Selden photo.
Shorebird wading in the tidal waters of the Hudson Bay. Steve selden photo.
Tundra swans on an inland pool. Ed Bouvier photo.
Orca’s in the Hudson Bay. Dwight Allen photo.
Come experience the Arctic summer on the Hudson bay. Visit nathab.com today!
