Back from the frozen North... it's processing time!

[Saturn%5 (Graeme)]

Stunning, Well done

[SkyViking (Rolf)]

Absolutely beautiful, all of them. Some great work there Thanks for sharing this.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by iceman

Unbelievable, brilliant images.

#5 and #6 rock my socks off!

Thanks, Mike!

Originally Posted by Garyh

Awesome, just awesome!
Defiantly on my list to do before I get too old!

I certainly would recommend a trip to one or both poles while the sun is active, Gary.

Originally Posted by Omaroo

Bloody hell Rick, I'm gobsmacked. To think that I was going to go on this trip, but had to reconsider. AARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhHh!!!!! !!!!!

It is DEFINITELY on my agenda.

Beautiful work, you lucky so and so.

Thanks, Chris. It is a shame you couldn't make it, but there's always next year

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Magnificent images. So well done. What ISO did you use?

I recently got this lens - wow, how good is that?

Greg.

Thanks, Greg. It's a lovely lens! I was mainly using ISO 1600. I took bias frames and darks but they didn't make much difference to the final result when I tried them. You don't need a cooled camera when the ambient is -27C

Originally Posted by Derek Klepp

They're all great thanks.

Originally Posted by Saturn%5

Stunning, Well done

Originally Posted by SkyViking

Absolutely beautiful, all of them. Some great work there Thanks for sharing this.

Thanks, guys!

[Zubenel (Wes)]

Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning

[ChrisM]

Rick - no doubt a dream come true! I really enjoyed looking at your pics and imagining that I was there seeing it too. What shutter speed did you typically use? Some of them look as though you have captured some movement.
Chris

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by Zubenel

Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning Stunning

Thanks, Zubenel

Originally Posted by ChrisM

Rick - no doubt a dream come true! I really enjoyed looking at your pics and imagining that I was there seeing it too. What shutter speed did you typically use? Some of them look as though you have captured some movement.
Chris

Thanks, Chris. Yes, a dream come true indeed!

I was mainly using 10 and 15 second exposures. In retrospect, I probably could have gotten away with shorter exposures on the last night (images 5, 6 and 7) as the aurora was brighter and faster moving. Unfortunately, we only had an hour away from the lights of Tromso city that night (due to regulations about how much sleep our bus driver had to get) and there was little time to experiment. The earlier nights the aurora was quite slow moving but that night it was shimmering and there were rapid (perhaps even sub second) movements of small scale features.

Cheers,
Rick.

[DavidTrap (David)]

Rick - those shots are amazing! What an experience. Can't wait for the time lapses. Will look forward to hearing your tales when our paths cross again (planning to go to Leyburn on 23/24 March if the weather gods oblige)

DT

[bloodhound31]

Four, five and six float my boat.

Good work mate.

Baz.

[Brundah1 (David)]

Welcome Rick,

You sure know how to make an impact, what an experience and to have David with you too!

Amazing light balance in your shots to catch the local ambience in contrast to to heavenly visions.

Catch up soon.

David

[venus (Lydia)]

simply stunning images

[ozstronomer (Geoff)]

Rick,

As others have said...simply brilliant!! You have excelled yourself with these magnificent shots. Glad to hear the trip was a success.

Looking forward to seeing these and video's on the big screen at the next OGM.

Catch you then, Geoff

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

Rick - those shots are amazing! What an experience. Can't wait for the time lapses. Will look forward to hearing your tales when our paths cross again (planning to go to Leyburn on 23/24 March if the weather gods oblige)

DT

Thanks, David! Hope to catch up soon.

Originally Posted by bloodhound31

Four, five and six float my boat.

Good work mate.

Baz.

Thanks very much, Baz.

Originally Posted by Brundah1

Welcome Rick,

You sure know how to make an impact, what an experience and to have David with you too!

Amazing light balance in your shots to catch the local ambience in contrast to to heavenly visions.

Catch up soon.

David

Thanks, David. Hope your G11 is all sorted now?

Originally Posted by venus

simply stunning images

Thanks, Lydia!

Originally Posted by ozstronomer

Rick,

As others have said...simply brilliant!! You have excelled yourself with these magnificent shots. Glad to hear the trip was a success.

Looking forward to seeing these and video's on the big screen at the next OGM.

Catch you then, Geoff

We had a great time, thanks Geoff. See you in a few weeks...

Cheers,
Rick.

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Pure gold a treat to look at.
Thx for sharing.
It would of been the best ever trip.

Cheers

[Lester]

Appreciate the views Rick, thanks. All the best.

[RickS (Rick)]

Thanks, Kev & Lester!

[rcheshire (Rowland)]

What a glorious sight. It must have been a privilege to see it first hand.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by rcheshire

What a glorious sight. It must have been a privilege to see it first hand.

Certainly was! Thanks, Rowland.

[iceman (Mike)]

What does it look like, naked eye? How visible are they?

Grey, or is there any colour naked eye?

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by iceman

What does it look like, naked eye? How visible are they?

Grey, or is there any colour naked eye?

What we saw was mostly monochrome, Mike, a bit like a bright nebula through a scope. I presume it wasn't bright enough to stimulate the cones in our eyes, just the rods.

Half of our group was at a lodge with dark skies the night of the big display in Tromso and some of them said they could see colour. That night the aurora appeared to be moving much more rapidly as well, especially the bottom of the "curtains".

According to the aurora predictions what we saw were only low to moderate strength displays.

Cheers,
Rick.