Which app do you use?

This thread is worthless without pics. You need to get that camera with you next time.

Here are a couple of my favorites from my trip up the Gunflint Trail in northern MN in March this year. KP index at the time was only a 4. The weekend after this it was a 7.

I was chasing the Milky Way and the night sky at the time so this was just a bonus. Didn't realize how bright they were and I overexposed some of them but it was s good learning experience.

Fun fact: In Minnesota we are too far south so most of the northern lights we see gray appearing or light green in the sky. You need a camera to see the true colors of the lights.

Wildsig.... those are awesome pictures!!!

2000Z-71 I'm smiling and laughing right now because your well told story sounds like many of my zero dark thirty adventures. I'm still a kid in many ways and natural and man made phenomenon still hold a curiosity and glee for me. I've set alarms for everything from meteor showers to satellites passing overhead, to balloon launches...or to simply photograph a moon setting into a mountain background or a sunrise just cresting a mountain ridge...

...and, yes, forgetting to charge camera batts, or grabbing needed gear is part of the frustration. It's easier when you can accurately predict when the event will happen, but with something like the Aurora, I guess you really need to just have gear laid out and ready to roll when it occurs.

I was born in Alaska but have yet to see the Aurora, but I sure do hope to one day.

On a cold and frosty morning it would be too easy to roll over in bed, pull the blankets over your head, and ignore the event notification, so good on ya for making the effort to see this!

quote:

originally posted by cgode:
Wildsig.... those are awesome pictures!!!

Agreed! I'm not sure what I'm more jealous of, being able to take photos like that, or just simply being able to actually witness such a spectacular sight.

That's pretty funny, unfortunately, we've all been there, more than once.

What an amazing spectacle though, I've never seen them, definitely worth a trip.

Good on ya !

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:
I saw them once in northern Arkansas in the 1950s. Odd, but it happened.

flashguy

There were a LOT of odd things that happened in Arkansas in the 1950s!! LOL

Saw them as a kid somewhere. Northern IL, WI, MI, or MN. Can't recall I was small. But it scared the crap outta me. Thought it was all over.

My mom said it's normal.

I remember seeing them in N Illinois over 15 years ago, maybe more.

Cool as hell to see.

I have one word for the OP..

COFFEE!

quote:

Originally posted by sjp:
Z-71, that's funny right there, I can definitely relate to driving around looking for the best place to see the lights

On a different note we will be traveling to ANC sometime in October and would like to get together for dinner, I'll email you.

E-mail is in my profile, dinner or a beer or both would be good.

quote:

Originally posted by Perception:
Some people need a bugout bag, it sounds like you need a middle of the night in the freezing ass cold try not to die in the woods aurora chasing bag.

Aside from you trying to kill yourself, that's so cool. I've never managed to see them. Seeing the northern lights is high on my bucket list.

I'm usually pretty well organized when I go out chasing the lights with both my cold weather and camera gear. I had every intention of going out and chasing the lights that night but fell asleep in the hotel room before I was able to pull my gear together. That and it was a little colder up in the Denali area than it had been in Anchorage.

But when Lady Aurora decides to make an appearance it's usually on her terms...

2000, that was an excellent recap of an early morning adventure!