"Chena Aurora 6 (with setting Saturn and Pleiades)"

Chena Hot Springs, Alaska March 19, 2004
Kodak Portra Professional Film
ISO 800 color negative film -- normal development
Pentax Spotmatic camera with 28mm lens at f/3.5 / ~60 second exposure

 

After a night filled with some spectacular Aurora (and a breakfast experience filled with the grating "live" violin sounds of the B&B's owner's daughter), we leisurely drove out to Chena Hot Springs (some 60 miles NE of Fairbanks and on a well-maintained paved road) on Friday, March 19, 2004. Upon arrival and check-in we signed up for the Aurora snow coach ride leaving the resort at 10 P.M. and driving to the remote (and light-pollution free) Charley Dome. Upon arrival that evening at the ridgetop, we were immediately greeted with many amazing Aurora -- the display reached a crescendo sometime after midnight of the minus 20 degree F night. Following some momentary viewing (and almost immediate battery freeze-up of their digital cameras) many of the tourists took up semi-permanent residence in the heated yurt -- I'm proud to state that we were outside (and comfortable in our rented arctic clothing!) throughout almost the entire night (perhaps 5 hours). I have chosen to label these photos as taken on 3/19/04 --and have also chosen to use this nomenclature throughout the presentation -- when in reality many shots were taken at midnight or slightly after. In general we found the Aurora to be most active between 10 P.M. and 2 A. M. local Alaskan time.

(Additional photos from the March 19th Aurora experience can be accessed by using this text link to a supplemental gallery.)

The 2004 Aurora Borealis astrophotography is available via telephone ordering as noted below.