Iceland 2011, Aurora and Astro Pics

[MJI]

Hi all,

Well, some of you may have seen my first thread on astrophotography earlier in this forum. Basically, trying to get some hints before a trip to Iceland earlier this month.

Well it was worth it - I think, as I'm pretty pleased with what I managed to capture....

Here's a few of what I got..

Went out the first night we got there, in big old specially converted jeeps. These guys got us out into nowhere, through 4 foot deep snow (after getting stuck about 3 times and having to be towed out!!). It was minus 18oC!!!!

It was a full moon so not good for aurora (northern lights) photography - as I found out and you will see.

So here's a shot of the aurora, but it was faint, and bleached out by the full moon...

The jeeps we went out in...

As the aurora seemed to be a washout, I just wandered taking some scenery shots... This is the Orion constellation just surfacing above the horizon...

This is the third night (second was clouded out), and after an hours drive outside of Reykjavik, we stopped to pick this faint aurora up

As It faded again quickly, I truned to scenery and constellations. Here is the plough....

And some scenery....

This was our second location, and the aurora was already out and started to build...

Lovely shot including frozen river...

The aurora faded again, and we packed up to go home, camera in bag when, bang, out it came again. This time, properly dancing and flying round the sky. Hoopefully you can pick it up here...

Then it faded again and we went home, leaving 2 hours sleep before heading to the airport home...

Will leave you with my favourite shot, just scenery with Jupiter bright in the sky...

Ta, and Merry Chrsitmas all!!

M

[chunky]

that looks really niiice

[wolf359]

Thanks for the pictures! I'm not sure if it's the length of exposure etc. but it looks surprisingly light to see aurora. We're off to Northern Finland in January 2012 to try to see them.

Best regards, Nick.

[MJI]

Yeah, 20 second exposure but probably more at play was the full moon - it was super bright!!

Those shots were taken between 10pm and 1am though

[Astrokev]

Some great images there!

I'm off to Tromso at the end of Feb so keeping everything crossed for clear skies and lots of solar activity!