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‘Most romantic aurora ever’: Northern Lights form glowing heart in Norway days before Valentine’s Day; photographer says ‘not AI’
The image, captured in Norway by photographer Kristoffer Vangen, shows a vivid green aurora curling perfectly against a clear, dark sky.
Anticipating the AI doubts, Vangen addressed the speculation through Instagram Stories, insisting the image was completely real
Just days before Valentine’s Day, a photograph of the Northern Lights forming what looks strikingly like a glowing heart has taken social media by storm. The image, captured in Norway by photographer Kristoffer Vangen, shows a vivid green aurora curling perfectly against a clear, dark sky, almost as if nature decided to lean into the season of love.
Vangen shared the now-viral shot on Instagram, revealing that he had long hoped to capture the aurora in a recognisable shape. “I always wanted to capture the northern lights shaped as something. I imagined a bird, a tornado, or a skull or something like this,” he wrote. He admitted that he had come close before, but the shapes never quite worked. “It’s been close a few times, but I never felt the shape was clear enough, it just looked messy. Last Friday I finally got something! Perhaps a heart is a bit cliche but I’m not complaining.”
The timing couldn’t have been better. As Valentine’s Day approaches, many online have dubbed it the “most romantic aurora ever”. The comments section quickly filled with admiration. “One of the most beautiful Northern light pictures I have ever seen,” one person wrote. Another added, “Mindblowing, people who think this is AI doesn’t know nature is more magical than they think.”
Check out the viral photograph:
View this post on Instagram
But along with the praise came scepticism. Some viewers wondered whether the heart shape was digitally created or enhanced using artificial intelligence. Anticipating the doubts, Vangen addressed the speculation through Instagram Stories, insisting the image was completely real. He even shared behind-the-scenes clips and explained how he edited the photo, offering transparency about his process and clearing the air.
The debate itself sparked reflection. “It’s a shame that nowadays you have to justify yourself or prove that it was really photographed that way,” one commenter noted, while still applauding the “extraordinary picture”.
For those curious about the science, auroras occur when charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere, producing shimmering waves of light. The colours and patterns vary depending on the type of gas and altitude. Most of the time, they swirl in abstract ribbons across the sky. And every now and then, if you’re lucky, they appear to shape themselves into something that feels almost poetic.
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