You’re invited to The Aurora Summit: Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis! This event brings Aurora enthusiasts in the mid-latitudes together each year for a weekend workshop in the U.S.
You don’t have to be a scientist or a photographer to attend. We offer beginning, intermediate, and advanced sessions. Many of our guests are trying to view the Northern Lights for the first time!
Aurora Summit 21
We’re excited to bring you Aurora Summit 21! The annual conference will be held in person in the fall. Watch this page for updates!
During Aurora Summit 21, we will feature Keynote Speaker Marybeth Kiczenski, an adventurer and professional photographer! Aurora Summit 21 will take place at the Harbor View Event Center in Washburn, Wisconsin, just south of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore!
For discounted rates at the host hotel, call and mention the Aurora Summit!
RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/886028538571070
NOW IN PERSON! Aurora Summit 21
Date: Friday, Nov. 5 – Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021
Location: Harbor View Event Center, Washburn, Wisconsin
Admission: $209 Full Registration, includes all meals.
Register: AuroraSummit21.eventzilla.net
#AuroraSummit21
We’re planning a great weekend, featuring opportunities to hear from celebrities in the Aurora Chasing and Storm Chasing world, as well as scientists, photographers, artists, storytellers, astronomers and more. The event includes:
- Featured Keynote Speaker
- Educational Sessions
- Night Sky Photography Clinics
- Photography and Photo Editing Workshops
- Panel Discussion
- Travelogue
- Swag, Raffle Prizes & More
If we don’t see the Northern Lights and photograph it together at the Aurora Summit, you’ll leave knowing how to capture a good display on your own!
Coming Soon! Check back to see the Conference Schedule.
Educational Sessions
More to Come! The Aurora Summit 21 presentations will include:
- Illuminating the Dark: From Astrophotography to Light Painting (I), with Jamie Seidel
- Nights of Red and Green — An In-depth Look at What Causes the Aurora (B), with Bob King
- Aurora Forecasting Techniques: Behind the Scenes with the Upper Midwest Aurora Chasers (I), with Jess Kowalke
- Astrotourism: Traveling to See the Light (B), with Dixie Burbank
- From Galaxies to Starry Nights I: Acquiring Images with Star Trackers (A), with Marybeth Kiczenski
- From Galaxies to Starry Nights II: Putting Together What You Captured on Camera (A), with Marybeth Kiczenski
- Creating a Photographic Presence in a Digital World (I), with Christy Turner
- Camera Settings at Night (B), with Heidi Pinkerton
- Pointers for Post Processing Photos (I), with Christy Turner
- Composition: Advanced Techniques to Take Your Night Sky Images to the Next Level (A), with Heidi Pinkerton
- Aurora Australis to Borealis: Legend & Myth around the World (B), with Melissa Kaelin
- Night Photography Clinics, including Focusing in the Dark (Late Friday and Saturday) (B,I,A), with Mike Shaw
- A Detailed Update on Solar Cycle 25: Where We’re At, Where We Might Go (A), with Christian Harris
- Nocturnal Sightings: Are UFOs for Real? (B), with Bob King
-
Protecting Our Night Skies: Light Pollution and Prevention (B), with Jeremy Evans
-
Astronomy & Astrophotography in our National Parks and Public Lands of the West (I), with Jeremy Evans
-
A Fool Proof Formula: How to Capture Your First Northern Lights Display (B), with Melissa Kaelin
B: Absolute Beginner
I: Intermediate
A: Advanced
Featured Presenters
We’re excited to announce the featured presenters for Aurora Summit 21! Follow our social media channels to learn more.
Aurora Summit 21 Presenters:
- Keynote Speaker Marybeth Kiczenski, Adventure Photographer & Writer
- Bob King, Author & Photojournalist at AstroBob
- Jess Kowalke, Upper Midwest Aurora Chasers Admin
- Christian Harris, Founder of Space Weather Trackers
- Christy Turner, NASA Citizen Scientist & Travel Photographer
- Jamie Seidel, Photographer, Light Painter & Founder & Admin of Stars, Star Trails and Timelapses
- Heidi Pinkerton, Professional Photographer
Adding more great topics, our founders will also present! They include
- Mike Shaw, Host, Co-founder, Author and Night Sky Professor
- Dixie J. Burbank, Co-founder, Astrotourism Guide and Great Lakes Aurora Shooters Admin
- Melissa F. Kaelin, Co-founder, Writer, NASA Social Media Ambassador and Founder & Admin of Michigan Aurora Chasers
Featured Panelists
The panel discussion is yet to be announced:
• Details coming soon!
Special Thanks: Thank you to all the presenters who expressed an interest on our website to participate in Aurora Summit 20, which was postponed. We did our best to regroup during the global pandemic, and we look forward to considering every entry carefully for Aurora Summit 22. Keep in mind that the selection process is very competitive. We appreciate your time and talents, and we hope you’ll consider us again next year!
We also thank you for your patience as we pivot and work quickly to bring you the conference in-person!
Have a specific question? Check out the FAQ.
A Look Back at Past Events
Discover everything the Aurora Summit brings to the community! Learn about our past keynote speakers and featured presenters below and in the Archives.
Our Keynote Speakers
We’re honored and grateful to work with fantastic keynote speakers, inviting a new individual to speak every year. Many phenomenal people have contributed their talents to the main event at the Aurora Summit, during the Saturday evening banquet and the night sky photography shoot that follows.
Invited Keynote Speakers:
- Aurora Summit 20: Postponed Due to Global Pandemic
- Aurora Summit 19: Keynote Speaker Chris Ratzlaff, Alberta Aurora Chasers Admin and Citizen Scientist Leader behind the sub auroral arc known as STEVE
- Aurora Summit 18: Keynote Speaker Mary Stewart Adams, Host of The Storyteller’s Night Sky and Founder of Headlands International Dark Sky Park
- Aurora Summit 17: Keynote Speaker Bob King, of Astro Bob’s Astronomy for Everyone and Author of Night Sky With the Naked Eye
Our Featured Presenters
We’re excited to welcome so many outstanding presenters to the Aurora Summit! As our way of saying thank you, we share information from past presenters on the Resources page. To learn about past presentations, visit the Archives.
Every year, many outstanding ideas and proposals are entered for presentations at the Aurora Summit, using the submission process on our website. With so much talent in the room, we have to make some tough choices.
Follow our social media to find out who will present at the next Aurora Summit!
Past Events
In our inaugural year, we welcomed guests from more than eight states and provinces, including guests from as far as Georgia and Manitoba.
Our Inaugural Event!
Aurora Summit 17
Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis
Friday, Oct. 27 – Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Register: AuroraSummit17.MikeShawPhotography.com (Closed)
#AuroraSummit17
Aurora Summit 18
Celebrating the Art, Culture, Science, and Photography of the Aurora Borealis
Friday, Nov. 2 – Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Register: http://aurorasummit18.eventzilla.net/ (Closed)
#AuroraSummit18
Aurora Summit 19
Friday, Nov. 1 – Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019
The Washburn Inn & Harbor View Event Center
Washburn, Wisconsin
Register: https://aurorasummit19.eventzilla.net/ (Closed)
#AuroraSummit19
Aurora Summit 20
Friday, Sept. 25 – Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020
Washburn, Wisconsin
Postponed
For more information about past events, visit the Archives.
Do you have more questions? Get answers with the FAQ.
Aurora Summit 