2015-03-24

Aurora Rising
aurora borealis northern lights night sky stars alaska granite tors
Milky Way and Aurora
Out on the Granite Tors trail near Fairbanks, Alaska
alaska aurora borealis granite tors milky way night sky northern lights
Structure Forms
Suddenly some structure started forming in the otherwise diffuse band. These microstructures seemed to just sail by like waves (only not really rolling I guess) to off over the horizon. Then I turned around. Look at the next photo!
alaska aurora borealis chena river recreation area night sky northern lights spring taiga tundra
Wave
One of the aurora microstructure "waves" that moved across the sky.
Go vertical
Then northern sky just erupted behind those smaller structures in the band. This was the best early morning aurora I've ever seen!
alaska aurora borealis interior night sky northern lights snow spring taiga vertical panorama
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
Corona
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
Stunning Electric Corona
Stunning Electric Corona
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
Auroral Corona
Not a minute after that eruption on the horizon this auroral corona danced overhead and seemed to last for a really long time. Usually only appearing for a few seconds, I think I had about a minute of shooting this one. In the center you might be able to make out the big dipper, but the stars were pretty dim compared to the northern lights that night!
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation interior night sky northern lights sky spaceweather
Corona
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
alaska aurora borealis big dipper constellation corona night sky northern lights overhead
Fills the Sky
Looking south from my campsite after the corona event.
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
Aurora on the Tors Trail
Three days and two nights on the Granite Tors Trail. Near Fairbanks, Alaska.
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
Still Going Strong
Ten minutes after the band exploded across the sky, the aurora was still going strong, especially in the northwest.
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
Beginning to settle
Around 4 am the display started to settle a bit, becoming diffuse, and drifting back to the north.
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
Green Skies
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
alaska aurora borealis hills night sky northern lights snow spring taiga
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail
Birch Shadows
Nearing the river valley I descend through birch and aspen forests.
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail
Birch and aspen forest
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail
Beautiful Day for A Hike
It turned out to be a gorgeous spring day. By the time I reached the river valley I was in a t-shirt and the temps were in the low 40's. Perfect!
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail
Tracks at the Tors
Moose tracks meander through sparse spruce forest along the Granite Tors trail.
boreal forest chena river recreation area fairbanks granite tors hiking snow spring taiga trail