<div class="" data-article-body="true"><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><i>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.</i></p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt=" A fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights. " loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/j7I2ZRjmN1v4_4LWP0qxcw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/space_311/1a6b9e0d7e551bc10f281c7472d8ed8b"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">A fox enthusiatically joins the hunt for the northern lights. | Credit: Dennis Lehtonen</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">In Finnish folklore, the northern lights are created when a mythical fox races across the Arctic tundra, its tail sweeping snow into the sky and setting it ablaze. Those glowing sparks, the story goes, become auroras — a legend reflected in the Finnish word <em>revontulet</em>, which literally translates to "fox fires."</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">That ancient myth feels uncannily real in a remarkable set of astrophotos captured by <a href="https://denniina.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Dennis Lehtonen;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link "><u>Dennis Lehtonen</u></a> in December 2022 in northern Finland.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">The images show vivid <a href="https://www.space.com/15139-northern-lights-auroras-earth-facts-sdcmp.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:auroras;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link "><u>auroras</u></a> dancing overhead and a fox below who seems far more interested in the photographer than the light show unfolding above.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Three of the photographs were taken on the same night, with moonlight brightening the Arctic landscape.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><span class="slidecount">Image 1 of 3</span></p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="a fox stands under a swirling green northern lights display in the sky above." loading="lazy" width="960" height="633" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/5cskJdmMwxaldE8AH4SlpA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTYzMztjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/space_311/a064f725312a96b3f839a85c00ac92fb"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">a fox stands under a swirling green northern lights display in the sky above.</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><span class="slidecount">Image 2 of 3</span></p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="a fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights" loading="lazy" width="960" height="641" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.IySYDy8lPixfZtuaYhQrQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/space_311/5e853657164ba0bebed7346f57712fd0"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">a fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><span class="slidecount">Image 3 of 3</span></p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="a fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights" loading="lazy" width="960" height="641" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/TKMt8aMajcuI.SjikSXe7Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/space_311/a63853c19b0129d8ff5c158557a0aabe"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">a fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">The fourth photo was captured a week later, when the fox returned for another round of aurora chasing. Though in this instance, it was Lehtonen who was doing most of the chasing as the sly fox made off with his gloves that he'd set down while sorting out his camera.</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="a fox is perfectly poised under a swirling ribbon of green light in the sky - the northern lights" loading="lazy" width="960" height="641" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/zZRrClaL3bX8RzJrfOpFiw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/space_311/df9c8cbbd2b9481c797b4185c86846f9"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">The cheeky fox returned a week later to join in on the aurora chasing once more beneath Finland's night sky. | Credit: Dennis Lehtonen</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">"Whenever I would attempt to approach it, trying to get the gloves back, it would run away, but eventually returned them with fingers missing," Lehtonen told Space.com in an email.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Lehtonen captured the images near the remote village of Kilpisjärvi, located deep inside the Arctic Circle and known for its dark skies and frequent aurora displays.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">"My original reason for moving and living in this small village, Kilpisjärvi, home to a hundred people, was my aurora hobby. I lived there for a year, but then I continued moving to Greenland," Lehtonen continued.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><em><strong>Editor's note:</strong></em><em> If you snap an astrophoto and would like to share it with Space.com's readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com. </em></p></div>

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