The Astrophotography Picture Gallery

Note -- you have reached the original astrophotographs.com website. Thanks very much for visiting. Logo contact information has been updated (i.e. we moved to Taos, NM) as below:

Willis Greiner
12 Rabbit Valley Road / P.O. Box 1515
El Prado, NM 87529
303-903-8996 or 575-758-3670
taosastronomer@gmail.com

You may also want to visit Willis' new astronomy site at: taosastronomer.com/

Welcome to the "2004 Alaskan Aurora Borealis March 18th Supplemental" gallery of astrophotographs.com!

The photographs below are my most recent efforts. Included here are photographs from the 2004 Aurora Borealis display as seen from various Alaskan locations in the evening and early morning hours of late March, 2004. This particular gallery is the 2004 Alaskan Aurora Borealis March 18th Supplemental Gallery. If you wish to return to the main Aurora Borealis Gallery merely close this window.

My wife's and my goal was to travel to Alaska during the most prolific Aurora season, which is either March or September, approaching the equinox. It is generally accepted that a location near Chena Hot Springs, AK (approx. 60 miles east and a little north of Fairbanks) is "Aurora central," so to speak. The various complex reasons for this phenomena can be explored by linking to the below-listed scientific Aurora site.

The Aurora -- Information and Images -- is the site related to the Poker Flats research facility in Alaska, but also includes general information concerning Aurora and an excellent FAQ section. Also highly recommenced is the daily Aurora prediction link.

Access Chena Hot Springs Resort to learn more about the features of this Aurora-centric resort facility.

(above photographs courtesy Chena Hot Springs)

On Thursday, March 18, 2004 we arrived in Fairbanks, rented a car and drove to our selected B&B. After arrival, we "scouted" for a slightly out-of-town location to view and photograph the Aurora. Our selected spot was along the Chena Ridge / Chena Pump Road. The photographs below and on the linked pages were taken with the 35mm Pentax rig noted as above equipped with a 28mm f/3.5 lens -- most exposures were in the neighborhood of 45-60 seconds. The ambient air temperature was somewhat below zero, perhaps minus 5-10 degrees F. I have chosen to label these photos as taken on 3/18/04 --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.

Please click on the thumbnail to view a larger version of the selected photograph.

All the photographs below were taken with either a 35mm Pentax Spotmatic or Pentax 6X7 camera mounted on a traditional tripod. Lenses varied from standard to wide-angle -- this detail is noted on the individual image pages. Film was Kodak Portra ISO 800 color negative film, developed normally. All exposures were 60 seconds or less. Approximate times are noted on the individual image pages.

The thumbnail photographs seen and linked here to larger versions represent the very best of quite a few Alaskan Aurora images we obtained. Because we observed the Aurora on all four nights while in Alaska, I have included other photographs obtained on this trip to present a more complete Aurora experience for those interested. These links and specific details are noted both below and on the individual image pages.

To further explore the "Something New" section of astrophotographs.com please use the various navigation strategies below the photographs.

Click a photo below for a larger view and detailed information about how, when and where it was taken. The 2004 Alaskan Aurora Borealis astrophotography is available via telephone ordering as noted below.

Click on this text or the "Something New Galaxy Icon" to the left to be transported to astrophotographs.com newest gallery of stunning Alaskan Aurora Borealis astrophotography -March, 2004.

Aurora Borealis -- March, 2004

Click on this text or the "Something New Galaxy Icon" to the left to be transported to astrophotographs.com gallery of stunning red Aurora Borealis astrophotography -- November, 2001.

Aurora Borealis -- November, 2001

Click on this text or the "Something New Galaxy Icon" to the left to be transported to astrophotographs.com gallery of Leonid meteor shower astrophotography -- November, 2001.

Leonid Meteor Shower -- November, 2001

Click on this text or the "Something New Galaxy Icon" to the left to be transported to astrophotographs.com gallery of Total Solar Eclipse astrophotography observed from Zimbabwe in June, 2001.

Zimbabwe Total Solar Eclipse -- June, 2001