'North to Alaska' - aurora!!

[Liz]

On the big countdown now, as am leaving bright and early this Thursday morning. :)

Been planning this for awhile, and am flying into Fairbanks Alaska at latitude 65', where I will spend 10 nights. Yes, a long time for that time of year, but i want to see as much aurora as possible, accounting for some cloudy nights as well. Am staying at The Alpine Lodge on the outskirts of town, so hoping a little darker to start off with than in town itself. I will do a couple of tours, but mostly heading out in the wee hours around the Hotel, when the aurora are happening. You get an aurora wake up call from the staff.

I then catch the Aurora Train to Anchorage (lat 61') for 4 nights then fly to Vancouver for 8 nights, then make my way by bus up to Jasper, then Banff, then finish up in Calgary.

Am very lucky in that there is a Dark Sky Festival in Jasper whilst there, with lots of astronomical activities. David Levy is one of the presenters :eyepop:!!

http://www.jasper.travel/dark-sky-festival-2013

Think i am all organised, with Hotels booked, bus/train tickets paid for and printed out. Cant wait!!! :D:D:D

Just wish I could work out the cable release a bit more, tricky stuff when I havent done it before, but been having a play this arv, hoping will be fine. :)

[batema]

Have a FANTSTIC time. Can't wait to hear how you went.

Mark

[jjjnettie]

:D I hope you have the best time Liz, with plenty of Aurora and nice people around you to share the experience.
Just don't forget to set the camera to bulb. :)

[Liz]

Cheers Mark ad jjj - am sure it will be fabulous, and the canon wont go off the Bulb. ;)

Been trying to work our that timelapse stuff on the cable release, left it to the last minute off course, and tricky. :question:

[rcheshire]

Have a great time. I am thoroughly envious. We have just returned from a similar trip and want to give up our jobs and go back. Missed the Northern Lights due to weather:sadeyes:

[gary]

Hi Liz,

Have a great trip. Have a safe trip. Hope the aurora put on a magnificent show for you!

[niko]

good luck Liz.

I couldn't make my trip work out but I hope you gets lots of auroral activity

niko

[Liz]

Thank you Rowland, Gary and Niko - Am lucky to have 10 nights at Fairbanks, so I WILL definitely see aurora, and, having never seen it before, will be an amazing experience. I know it will be cloudy on some days, as Accuweather has shown me ... .and some snow!!

Bad luck Rowland on missing the aurora, must be hard on limited time in these towns,and best of luck Niko for your trip .... one day.

On more 12 hr shift to work, and holidays!! :D

[erick]

Have a wonderful trip, Liz and keep safe. Looking forward to your reports and photos. :hi:

[Allan_L]

Good onya Liz...
Hope you have a great time.
Looking forward to your happy snaps on your return.

[Liz]

Thank you Eric and Allan, my Mt Carbine buddies!! ;)

[Rob_K]

Good luck Liz, have a great time! :thumbsup: Look forward to seeing your shots...

Cheers -

[AstralTraveller]

Woot woot! Have a great time. I assume you have plenty of camera batteries and memory cards? :D Mods: Prepare some more server space!

[rustigsmed]

Looks like some possible activity Oct 2/3 UT.
:)

[Kunama]

Very jealous of this trip Liz, Bon Voyage ! I grew up watching aurorae near Lapland. Taking my wife to see it next March.

[Octane]

Have a great time, Liz. Look forward to your piccies. :)

H

[Liz]

Thanks Rob, I still cant believe that I am about to embark on this great adventure!!



Only have 1 spare battery ... should have got another ... maybe, lots of memory cards though. :D





Sounds exciting, and lucky you to have experienced it in your childhood,a magical experience, and something to look forward to next year. :)



Cheers H, cant even imagine the amount of piccies I will take!! Didi I see somewhere that you are planning a trip??? :D;)

[spacezebra]

Have an excellent time Liz, travel safe and lots of pics please... :-)

Cheers Petra d.

[Octane]

Liz, yes. Iceland in February. :)

H

[Liz]

Thank you Petra, that wont be a problem, I am camera armed and dangerous!



Oooh, fabulous and exciting. :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

Sounds like you're gonna have a ball. Post plenty of pics and have a great time. :thumbsup: Say hello to Santa for us.

[Suzy]

How exciting Liz, I'm so happy for you!
Have a fabulous time and I look forward to the pics!

[Liz]

Have arrived safe and sound, after a bearable flight, lovely coming into LA with the dawn colours and a crescent Moon on the horizon.

In Fairbanks for 10 days, 3 already gone. First two had fairly clear skies, but didn't see any aurora. One night I headed out for a look, and there was Vega, recognized Cygnus and Andromeda' and the Little Dipper. Took a couple of pics, but only with little wobbly tripod, as my good one had the plate snapped off on route! Have since bought another.

Alas, cloud and fog, maybe snow, have set in for 3 days, so not doing much. Trying to work the settings for time lapse on the remote control, and believe I have done this just now, with the help of jjjj on FB! Many thanks jjj, camera is clicking away merrily.

Fairbanks is pretty with autumn colours, hotel is nice, WiFi good, buses terrible do hard to get out. Days are chilly with min of -1 to max of about 5, not too bad at all.

Chances of seeing aurora have decreased with this weather, but the weekend is a chance. Heading out Friday night w with a local guy here - I subscribe to his live aurora web can. Can't wait for that. Still a few lights around here at hotel, and don't want to go too far.

[Liz]

Oh, and a few pics, no aurora ...... yet!!

[Liz]

Phew, was worried I wouldnt see the aurora, but 2 nights ago, my dream was fulfilled.

Headed out about midnight, when a greenish tinge was being seen on the N horizon, and after I found a spot and set up, the action began!!
Started with green bands seeping across a large section of the sky, then started going up in vertical shafts, stunning!! Took heaps of pics, and will attempt a little movie at some stage.

Very happy girl now, though I may see some more, fingers crossed!!

HAd trouble with my Tokina lens, so ended up buyimng another Canon 17 - 70 mm, though havent had the chance to use it yet. The guy at the camera shop here said to bring the Tokina ijn for him to have alook at. The pics I took with it had streaks, at the bottom of the image, and alarge rim at the side. :sadeyes:

Anyway, all good, cathc the Aurora Train to Anchorage onf Sunday. :)

[glenc]

Congratulations Liz. I especially like the third one with the autumn (fall) leaves.

[Larryp]

Nice shots, Liz!

[erick]

You are living my dream! Congratulations!

[Allan_L]

Good on ya Liz!
Fantastic.
I am so happy for you.
They are great snaps.:thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing the experience.
Looking forward to more :)

[Kevnool]

Those images are so cool Liz what a fantastic holiday your havin.

Cheers

[Liz]

Many thanks Glen, LArry, Eric, Larry and Kev, I still have to pinch myself sometimes that it isnt a dream, I am here, and having a ball!!

Last nigth was the best so far - headed out of town on a tour, though just em, went up a nearby mountain, and SNOW everywhere!! Waited for teh aurora to start which was about 11.30pm, though had een slightly green since we got up there.

Slowly got stronger and seemed to be around the Jupiter in Gemini area, very cold up there, but ggreat.

BAck to Hotle about 0130, and the aurora was prolific over the Hotel!!! Unbelievable, the green lights were dancing all over the sky in all directions. Stayed out for an hr, then headed to bed, but the aurora continued on ALL night, what a treat. :D

Heading off in hte morning on the 'Aurora Train' to Anchorage, supposed to be one of the prettiest train journeys in the world.

[Rob_K]

Amazing Liz, thanks for sharing!!

Cheers -

[Liz]

Alaska is amazing, am tempted to return, quite rugged. When you say you are from Australia, people gulp, in Canada, they dont blink an eye, Aussies everywhere!!
HAve had 7 nights in Vancouver - beautiful city, though engulfed by fog for 5 days, stunning now.
Am about to head to Jasper via the redeye Greyhound, arrive Jasper 0530 hrs, BUT, in time for their 'Dark Sky Festival' .... very excited indeed, with many talks over the days and eve, hopefully I can get involved.
David Levy will be there!! Iwill definitely be at that talk, with my love of comets

http://www.jasper.travel/dark-sky-festival-2013