An avid adventurer, Melissa F. Kaelin founded the Michigan Aurora Chasers in January 2021. She has been chasing the Aurora for over 13 years, and so far, she has caught the Northern Lights in four states and three countries. She finds inspiration in nature, writing, and inspirational people, so she loves bringing people together to enjoy the Northern Lights.
She is a published author of many works, including the 2nd Edition of “Beyond the 45th Parallel: The Beginner’s Guide to Chasing Aurora in the Mid-latitudes,” and she hasn’t stopped there. Among others, her achievements include Aurora columnist, published science journalist, astronomy keynote speaker, planetarium presenter, international Northern Lights tour guide, and Aurora Summit co-founder.
Learn more: KaelinArt.com
Ways to Connect:
- From the Founder — Visit Melissa’s founder page for publication opportunities, blogs, and tools, as well as links to her individual website
- Founder’s Circle — Browse unique opportunities to see your photography featured, including in the Traveling Exhibit
- Connect with Us! — A new page gives you a quick intro to our platforms
- About the Michigan Aurora Chasers — Who we are
- Contact Us — Use our contact form or email MichiganAuroraChasers [at] gmail [dot] com
Achievements:
- Caught the Aurora in 4 states and 3 countries, as well as STEVE, the Picket Fence, SAR Arc and Corona
- Served on the Ground Support Team for the SolarMax Mission with the Fram2 Spacecraft
- Featured in the book “Magnificent Aurora: Your complete guide to nature’s greatest light show,” by Bob King
- Interviewed by USA Today, NPR’s All Things Considered, Thrillist, iHeartRadio and MLive
- Published with citizen science contributions in the article “The Gannon Storm: citizen science observations during the geomagnetic superstorm of 10 May 2024”
- NASA Social Media Ambassador to the launch of the Solar Orbiter in 2020
Selected Events:
- Beaver Island Dark Sky Sanctuary Adventure: June 20-23, 2025, Guide Melissa Kaelin joined the Michigan Aurora Chasers leaders as they hosted three consecutive days of Aurora Chasing on Beaver Island, catching the Aurora three nights in a row
- Created the Michigan Aurora Experience, providing more opportunities for chasers to catch the Northern Lights even when there are no guaruntees
- Led More than 10 Live Chases, including Grindstone City, MI; Brighton, MI; Glen Haven, MI; Tawas City, MI; Au Train, MI; St. John’s, MI; Statewide Live Chase in Pentwater, MI; and a Historic G5 Storm Live Chase in Dexter, MI on May 10, 2024.
- Upcoming Finland Arctic Magnificence Tour Host & Staff Expert, U-M Alumni Association, 2026: Open to association members
- Iceland & the Northern Lights Tour Host & Staff Expert, U-M Alumni Association, 2024
- Night Photo Summit Speaker, 2024
- Keynote Speaker, Astronomy on the Beach, GLAAC, 2024
- Inaugural Upper Peninsula Dark Sky Festival Speaker, Keweenaw International Dark Sky Park, 2023
- Aurora Summit Presenter & Co-Founder
Show your support! Our Admin Team gives generously of their time, resources and knowledge to help everyone catch the Northern Lights. Even a simple gesture to “buy us a coffee” goes a long way, using our tip jar websites. Most of this goes back into the group.
Michigan Aurora Chasers 