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Immerse Yourself in the Northern Lights

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What It Takes to Experience the Northern Lights

Books, Guides, Video Tutorials & More

As founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, I’ve had some awesome opportunities across the country, whether it meant covering the launch of the Solar Orbiter as a NASA Social Media Ambassador, serving on the Ground Support Team for the SolarMax Mission with Fram 2, publishing a best-selling guidebook, or leading a tour of Iceland & the Northern Lights!

Like many in the community, I draw inspiration from helping others to catch their first display of the Northern Lights. Along my travels, I hope to help more people find, understand, and celebrate the elusive Aurora Borealis.

Explore the thrill of Aurora Chasing!

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When I’m not chasing the Aurora, you can find me in the wilderness — discovering hidden gems and exploring pristine natural spaces. I devote a lot of time to writing fiction, nonfiction and poetry, among other genres, And lately, I’ve been known to frequent the open road and embrace international travel.

Whether I’m frolicking with my beloved pup, paddling across an open lake, or writing the next novel, I enjoy sharing my experiences with others.

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About Our Adventures

An Aspiring Novelist & Career Writer with an Adorable Doggo

An author and public speaker, Melissa F. Kaelin has been chasing the Northern Lights for over 13 years. She is the founder of the Michigan Aurora Chasers, a group of over 130,000 members, and the co-founder of the annual Aurora Summit, a convention celebrating the art, culture, science and photography of the Aurora.

In 2020, she was selected as a NASA Social Media Ambassador to cover the launch of the Solar Orbiter, a spacecraft launched to study our Sun. In 2021, she began leading a “Live Chase” of the Northern Lights on active nights, escorting hundreds of people to their first Aurora sighting. Now, she has helped thousands of people to catch the Aurora for the first time, and she has published a guidebook for beginners. The 2nd Edition of the guidebook, “Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-latitudes,” was released on July 5, 2024.

Melissa has written about rare natural phenomena for many publications, her Aurora Chasing advice is quoted by International Dark Sky Parks, and she has presented many talks on Aurora Mythology, Aurora Forecasting and Night Sky Adventures. She has published several books, including a charity fundraising anthology during the global pandemic, titled “The Social Gap Experiment.” In November 2024, she led an international tour of Iceland and the Northern Lights as a staff expert for the University of Michigan Alumni Association. She has been interviewed for USA Today, NPR, iHeartRadio, and Thrillist, as well as many other media outlets.

In 2023, Melissa adopted Elio, who is named for the sun displayed in the coloring on his back. By the time he was one year old, Elio had witnessed his first Aurora, his first S.T.E.V.E., and the Total Solar Eclipse!

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