![Aurora Borealis over Katolinat Green Light over Pointed Mountain Silhouette](/katm/images/RBT_9671_2.jpg)
Aurora Borealis over Mt Katolinat - All Photos Courtesy of Russ Taylor
After a summer of long Alaskan days, the night sky has finally returned to Katmai. While we certainly enjoy our endless summer days with the ability to hike until well past midnight without headlamps, see bears in the forest on the earliest of mornings, and almost watch the plants grow as they absorb the long sun, we relish the return of the night sky.
As we delve deeper into September, the angle of light shifts from overhead towards the horizon, the evening sky turns shades of orange as the sliver moon drops behind the mountains, and the aurora borealis makes an occasional foray into the southernmost skies of Alaska.
This time of year we find Katmai in its finest array and we rejoice in it.
![Waxing Sliver Moon Setting over Buttress Range A sliver moon setting behind mountain silhouette](/katm/images/RBT_0066.jpg)
![Sliver Moon setting over Lake Brooks A sliver moon over a tranquil lake, seen through two trees](/katm/images/RBT_0351.jpg)
![Milky Way over Mt Mageik The Milky Way in a darkening blue sky over a snow covered mountain and silhouetted ridgeline](/katm/images/RBT_9562.jpg)
![Mars, Milky Way, Mt Mageik Mars and the Milky Way over a snow covered mountain](/katm/images/RBT_0098.jpg)
![Aurora over Spruce Trees, Brooks Camp Lights from the Aurora glows over trees](/katm/images/RBT_0369_1.jpg)
![Faint Aurora Light from The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Green and pink lights from the Aurora over mountain ridge](/katm/images/RBT_0161.jpg)
![The Aurora Borealis Green Aurora Lights over Silhouetted Mountains](/katm/images/RBT_9685.jpg)
![Aurora Lights Green and purple aurora lights over mountain silhouettes](/katm/images/RBT_9687.jpg)