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November 13, 2024

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Friday, January 28, 2022

Watch for Aurora Click Bait

Every once in a while over the last month or so, I have been seeing worrisome queries on aurora interest pages on Facebook. It all started with a classic click-bait headline, “2016 Is Your Last Chance to See the Northern Lights Before They Vanish.” How accurate is this? Is this true? These are some of the questions that introduce the post to others. The very easy, accurate and simple answer is, “Absolutely not. It’s complete hogwash.” Of course, once you click on the article, you get a rather perfunctory explanation of the solar cycle, and how the sun’s activity peaks…

Aurora Hits Lower 48 Tonight!*

It’s rare that the lower 48 gets a good look at the aurora – but depending where you are in the northern USA and southern Canada tonight you just might get a chance. According to some experts it’s going to be a good week for viewing the northern lights… assuming cloud cover stays away and you can find somewhere away from light pollution. For all of those first time aurora shooters out there, I recommend that you read TheMudflats contributor Carl Johnson‘s article over at his blog, with some great pointers  on how to get the best image. Please also check…

Photograph Aurora Like a Pro

  Alaskans tend to take advantage of their long days in the summer by getting out and hiking, biking, camping, hunting, and fishing.  We savor the opportunity to have six hours of sunlight to enjoy on a weekday even after the work day is done.  Farther north, the sun never even goes down.  But as winter comes, the light goes down sooner and the nights grow longer.  Temperatures drop, chills set in.  And while some types of activities go away, they are simply replaced by others that can be pursued in the winter.  Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, trapping and snow…

Aurora Lite

After the early tease of the aurora in late August, I’ve been itching for the chance to get my next northern light fix. Even though the forecast emphasized overcast skies the aurora was supposed to be stormy so Carl Johnson and I ventured out to find a clearing in the sky. We did. It only lasted briefly and it was faint – but the stars were bright so it made for from some interesting shots. This one was on our way back along the highway – the street lights made the trees glow yellow.

Last Aurora Hunt of the Season?

A couple of nights ago the northern lights were suposed to be out in force, so I went north from Anchorage in search of my prey – Aurora Borealis. After driving over an hour north, pulling off into dark corners along the Glenn Highway.  I thought, again the prediction maps were just a tease. So since I was already out wandering around in the darkness, I decided to find a spot and take some star trail photos. I stopped at Thunderbird Falls in the Chugach. The wind was occasionally biting, but it stayed in the high 30’s so I knew I’d…