New Year Lights

Dancing lights over the Yukon River

Last night the mercury read a chilly -40 degrees Celsius - the first real cold snap of the season.  These cold nights usually mean that we will enjoy clear skies for a few days.  Shortly before midnight, and with little warning, the aurora suddenly appeared and began their dance across our northern sky.  Lovely way to warm up the evening and to begin a new year.

This image was photographed with a Nikon D800 camera set on a tripod.  The lens was a Nikor 14-28mm set at f/2.8.  Since the moon was shining brightly I decided to shoot at ISO 800 ISO and kept the camera open for a 6 sec exposure.

The show is expected to continue tonight - stay tuned!

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus

Return of the Aurora

Aurora dancing over the Pelly River, Yukon

Good morning from the Yukon!

At long last the northern lights have returned to our skies.  It has been months since we were last treated to such a show.  Lovely to see them back.

Keeping my fingers crossed for a repeat performance tonight.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Cheers,

Claus

Photo info:  Photographed with a Nikon D800 and Nikor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens - shot at f/3.5, 15-18sec, 800ISO, cable release.

And the lights came back....

Pelly Crossing Campground, Yukon

It's official - another season of the dancing northern lights has begun in grand style.  Last night, despite the minus 30 degree temperatures, the much anticipated solar storm (which was unleashed by the sun a couple of days ago) slammed into the upper reaches of our atmosphere.  The result was an impressive celestial show that unfurled across the entire circumpolar north.  Folks from Russia, Norway, Greenland, Nunavut, Yukon and Alaska were treated to a spectacular display of dancing lights.  Welcome back!!


Photo Info:  Nikon D800 with a Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 at 1000ASA, f/3.4 at 20 sec.

Valentine Lights

Today, shortly after 7pm, the clouds lifted in time to unveil tonights celestial show - A Valentine Dance of the Aurora.  What a show it was as the northern lights rippled and danced their way across our evening sky.  The show continued for hours. 

The above images were photographed with a Nikon D700 camera (Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 4000, f/4 and an exposure between 8-10 secs.).

Happy Valentines Day from the Yukon!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Northern lights dance over Pangnirtung, Nunavut

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!  
Thank you for your continued interest and support over the past year.  I have appreciated your comments.
Here's to another year filled with health, love, friendship, adventure and endless photo opps - 2012 promises to be an exciting year.
Join me in the coming days as I share some of my favourite images from the past year - stay tuned for "2011: A Retrospect".
Once again, Happy Holidays to all!
Cheers,
Claus

October Lights

Nikon D700, Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 @ f/3.2, 14mm, 3200 and 4000ISO, 10 sec

Greetings once again from the Yukon!

My apologies for the lack of postings as of late.  In the coming day's I'm hoping to update the blog (and my website) with images from a recent trip to Haines (Alaska) where and friend of mine and I were treated to some spectacular views of mountains, pristine rivers and twelve grizzly bears feasting on spawning salmon.  I'm hoping to have those images up by mid-week.

The northern lights continue to dazzle as they signal the beginning of what promises to be an exciting few months for photographing the aurora borealis.  Last night the aurora took centre stage for an hour of so as they danced over the waters of the Pelly River.  

Thank you for your patience - new images and tales from the Yukon will be posted this week.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.  

Cheers,

Claus

Welcome Back

Northern lights over Pelly River - ISO 800, 18mm,  15sec

Greetings once again from the Yukon! 

It's official - summer 2011 has had its swan song.  

Last night the aurora took centre stage as they began to dance across our night sky.  After a season dominated by the midnight sun it was a treat to see the curtains of green, yellow and pink unfurl across our northern skies once again.  

It was a bittersweet moment to say good bye to summer but at the same time a joy to welcome the first aurora of the season.  By all accounts the coming months should bring some stunning displays.  Stay tuned!

I look forward to sharing more images from both the Yukon, and from my adventures and misadventures over summer, with you.

Hope you enjoyed your summer.

Cheers,

Claus

Last dance

Nikon D700/Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 @3.2, ISO 600/ 15sec

Shortly after 1am this morning the clouds broke free for a few minutes to reveal what was perhaps one of the last dances of the aurora for this season.  A mild geomagnetic storm had been brewing across much of the northern hemisphere for the last 48hrs and had triggered some spectacular northern lights across much of Alaska and northern Europe/Russia.  Unfortunately for us the last few nights had been cloudy.

There are only a few short weeks left before the season of the aurora gives way to the shine of the midnight sun.  I'm hoping for at least one more grand finale before then.

Good night!

No April Fools

Quick note as its well past midnight - the northern lights made a brief appearance tonight over the skies of Pelly Crossing, Yukon.  Shortly before midnight I decided to peak outside my window to see if there was an unexpected celestial display.  Thankfully there was.  I quickly gathered my camera, tripod, cable release and memory card and bolted outdoors to capture the tail end of the show. Tonight's temperature was a balmy +3 oC (don't miss those -45 degree nights).

I was a bit spooked of heading out too far as the grizzlies have now started to emerge from their winter dens - I don't relish the thought of bumping into them in the middle of the night.

Not the best shots tonight as the street lights interfered with my images. 

There won't be too many more nights like tonight as the aurora are quickly giving way to the midnight sun which will grace our northern skies till August.

If you missed the shots from the spectacular March display be sure to click on March archives found on right hand side of this page.

Good night!  

Photo specs:  1200ASA, f/3.2 (Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8), 15 sec exposure (Nikon D700)

More lights from last night

Here are few more images from last nights celestial wonder!  I can honestly say that last night was the most impressive show I've seen in my 13 years living in the north.  Absolutely stunning!  According to Spaceweather.com tonight promises to be just as good!  Keep your fingers crossed.

Yukon Lights at Night

What a night it has been here in the Yukon.  Shortly before 10pm the northern lights literally exploded overhead.  Endless ribbons of green, blue and pink danced across the sky from one horizon to the other for at least 3 hours.

I could have continued to photograph the aurora all night but by 1am my camera froze thanks to the -30 degree temps!  

Tonights images were taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens.  Speed was set at 1000ASA, f/3.2 and between 10-15 secs for each exposure.  Cable release and tripod are essential.

It's 130am and the lights continue to dazzle.  Unfortunately I have to work in the morning so its off to bed.  

What a show!

Yukon Winter Driving 101

I finally spotted and photographed the northern lights earlier in the week - my first since leaving Baffin Island a year ago - and what a show it was!

Thick curtains of green, yellow and the occasional splash of pink danced across the night sky from one horizon to the other.  An unexpected solar wind storm earlier in the day triggered the auroral display.  Spaceweather.com had warned of the potential of an auroral storm so I prepared my camera gear in advance.  Shortly before 11pm the northern lights made their appearance over Pelly Crossing.  I borrowed a friends car and drove down the Klondike Hwy away from town and its interfering 'city lights' and wood smoke. 

A few minutes later I arrived at a bend in the hwy that offered a superb view of the aurora unfolding overhead.  In true Claus fashion I turned off the engine to the car completely ignoring the fact it was - 40 degrees outside (I didn't want the headlights to interfere with my image).  I shouldn't have been surprised when I tried to start the car again some twenty minutes later.  No luck!  With camera gear and tripod in hand I had no choice but to walk the 4km back into town. Thankfully the grizzlies are asleep for the winter and I was dressed warmly for the excursion.  

The RCMP helped me boost the car the following afternoon.


The things we photographers do to get our images.


Hope all is well in your corner of the world.


Cheers,
Claus