At our house, we have a couple of things that we'd like to see at some some point. The first is a moose out in the wild, in their natural habitat, from a safe distance of course. The second is a clear, awe-inspiring view of the Northern Lights. While I've seen glimmers of aurora borealis through the years, I've have yet to have a true "wow" experience.

Recently, the Northern Lights made an impressive display for the Northland and some were lucky enough to be in the perfect position to capture the activity. One such person was Duluth native Steve Regas, who happened to be near Minnesota's Boulder Lake on October 17 to witness some very cool activity.

This week, Regas shared his terrific photos on his Facebook page, and I reached out to ask him if I could share them with everyone. Full disclosure, Steve is an old friend of mine from much crazier times in our lives and he was happy to share his photos.

Steve Regas Photography
Steve Regas Photography
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According to The Northern Lights Centre:

The Northern Lights are actually the result of collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. Variations in colour are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The most common auroral color, a pale yellowish-green, is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 miles above the earth.

Steve Regas Photograhy
Steve Regas Photograhy
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Steve Regas Photography
Steve Regas Photography
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Northern Lights can be seen in the northern or southern hemisphere, and scientists have learned that in most instances northern and southern auroras are mirror-like images that occur at the same time, with similar shapes and colors.

Steve Regas Photography
Steve Regas Photography
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Steve Regas Photography
Steve Regas Photography
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Have you had an amazing experience viewing the Northern Lights? One trip my wife and I would love to take soon is to Norway to not only attempt to get an unsurpassed view of aurora borealis, but to go on a guided trek into the Norwegian villages, fjords and more.

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

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