The DMSP satellite has the ability to detect auroral light at night. These images are mosaics of various DMSP overflights of the aurorae observed from 12-15 Dec 2006. The 14-15 Dec image is quite striking.

What a lightshow! I waited until around 7PM local time and then found a nice secluded spot west of town. Just really neat to see the reds and the purples right before your eyes.

Photo details: Nikon N75 Film SLR Nikkor 28-80mm Zoom Lens Fuji Superia Xtra 400 Color Film F6.7@20-30 secs.

Walked into shot for 10 seconds to create ghostly image with light aurora in the background.

Photo details: Canon EOS Rebel XT, 30s, f4.5, 100 ISO

Incredible show above the historical site of Thingvellir and the lake Thingvallavatn, western Iceland.

Photo details: Nikon D200, 24 mm, 800 iso, 10-30 s exposure, f/4.

Around 4 AM the weather finally was clear and the northern lights were kicking into high gear, probably the best show I have seen in 10 years. At some times I had trouble figuring out where to point the camera for the next shot since it looked like in the photo almost everywhere you looked.

Photo Details: Nikon D50 iso 1600 8 sec exposure 18mm f3.5

These photos were all taken between 1800-1930 CST (0000-0130z). Fairly low-key event staying close to the horizon... but some minor substorming was noted with a few rays. Clouds moved in from 8pm til midnight... may have missed the peak.

It was very cloudy here and then at around local midnight high winds kicked up and cleared the sky up just enough in time to catch the auroras for about 90 minutes. To the naked eye the glow was a faint green glow and showed very little motion and detail but the camera revealed some nice photographic auroras. The auroras were losing intensity by the time the sky cleared but it was nice to see the auroras again after such a long absence!

Photo details: Canon 30D, 10s-30s exposure time, 800-1250 ASA

Photo details: Canon 300D at ISO 800, 30sec exposures.

At first the auroras were faint and I passed time trying to capture some Geminid meteors. The auroras then picked up and formed a nearly fixed but intense green arch, which after ca 30min started parting into several arches and a somewhat more intricate pattern. The auroras were slow moving, but on a few occasions grew more intense and started flickering. I noted approximately 40 Gemenids, one of which can be seen in the photos.

Photo details: Canon EOS 30D, EF-S 10-22 F3.5-4.5, ISO 400, f.3.5, 30-50s exposures.