MARQUETTE, MI -- Marquette photographer Shawn Malone did not set out to photograph variations of Michigan's sky within a 24-hour period. But on June 22, it just kind of happened.

Weather conditions in Marquette were ripe for capturing stunning photos of the starry Milky Way, morning's first glow, a passing storm, a double rainbow, dusk and the aurora borealis -- all during a single day at a Lake Superior beach about a mile from Malone's home.

"Everything just kept happening within that amount of time," Malone said during a phone interview from Marquette on Tuesday, July 7.

Malone captured her first image of the day at 12:11 a.m. June 22. The photo shows the dark sky illuminated by the Milky Way.

She drove back home and slept for a few hours before returning to the same beach where she captured the sun rising above a glassy Lake Superior at 5:54 a.m.

Malone, who owns Lake Superior Photo gallery in downtown Marquette, drove to the gallery following the serene sunrise and remained there for a majority of the day. Later that evening, she knew a storm was brewing and caught the dark rain clouds juxtaposed with a diffused light and calm Lake Superior waters at 8:15 p.m. When the clouds broke, they left a double rainbow and a picturesque sunset in its wake at 8:47 p.m. and 9:19 p.m., respectively.

"There was nobody out there. It was amazing and I was shocked," Malone said. "I thought somebody would be out there with the rainbow. But it was a pretty good downpour."

Malone kept tabs on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Spaceweather for a possible aurora borealis sighting late that night. At one point, Malone checked the sky and saw there was still a thick cloud covering.

Later that night, Malone let out her dog and noticed the gleaming green, purple and blue hues of the aurora borealis above her.

"Needless to say that put a little charge in me and I ran for the camera," Malone said of her final photo of the day.

Malone said the clouds briefly cleared for about 10-15 minutes -- allowing her to get a glimpse of the dancing Northern Lights.

"I did not anticipate the aurora being as strong and active as it was," she said. "I was lucky to even get the shots I did.

"It was a pretty packed day," Malone added. "I've been doing this for a while, so when I see certain light, I know it will transfer well to photos. I kept an eye on the conditions and saw the potential for dramatic light."

The six photos Malone captured of the Marquette sky on June 22 were recently featured by Huffington Post. The story notes that "most of the year, the northern coast of the Upper Peninsula is too cold for the average person to sit for hours marveling at the scenery."

Malone said the cooler weather in the U.P. helps keep the population low and the natural resources abundant and untouched for people to enjoy.

"It has its own unique beauty," she said.

Kyle Moroney covers suburban schools and general assignments for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email her at kmoroney@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter or Facebook