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mikedewitt
02-19-2012, 12:57 PM
I was fortunate to be in a good position last night in the Moquah Barrens of Northern WI for a planned night sky shoot. Within minutes of setting up, a dull band of what appeared to be light polution began showing in the Northern sky. Within minutes, a fairly spectacular show was in full effect.

5DMKII, 17-40mm @ 19mm 30s, f/4, ISO3200

Mike DeWitt
http://www.poordogphotography.com

Hilary Hann
02-19-2012, 05:23 PM
What a beautiful effect, quite spectacular.

Roger Clark
02-19-2012, 05:24 PM
Mike,

This is really beautiful. Amazing that the aurora is so bright. Any more and it would be overexposed. I like the foreground too. Nicely done.

Roger

dankearl
02-19-2012, 10:23 PM
Fantastic.
Congratulations on this beautiful photograph.

Hazel Grant
02-19-2012, 10:40 PM
one of the things I hope to see in real life someday----thanks for whetting my eye-appetite again.

mikedewitt
02-20-2012, 10:42 AM
Thanks to everyone for the kind comments!

Roger Clark
02-20-2012, 11:00 AM
one of the things I hope to see in real life someday----thanks for whetting my eye-appetite again.

Hazel,

A large aurora is truly stunning, and the next couple of years should bring many opportunities, probably in the northern US too. Just keep an eye on spaceweather.com for coronal mass ejections (CME) directed toward Earth, and then watch the Kp index which can be found at
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wingkp/

When the Kp is above the red line (5) there is a chance for aurora, especially closer to the poles. When the Kp index is close to 7 or higher, there is a good chance for aurora in northern US and Europe. Then, if the Moon is not up, get to a dark site and enjoy the show.

This solar max will be the first in the digital era with stunning new photographic tools compared to previous maxima. I've got some nice aurora images on slides somewhere......but they pale in comparison to the DSLR images being produced now.

Roger

Morkel Erasmus
02-20-2012, 04:33 PM
You managed to capture it very well, Mike! I like the diagonal lines of the FG and the light show, and that you have some stars visible.
Just enough FG detail to not detract from the real focus point...:bg3:

Roman Kurywczak
02-20-2012, 07:41 PM
A site I hope to witness too! Nicely done!

Sandy McMillan
02-21-2012, 08:07 AM
Wow! I think you did a great job on the exposure with just the right shutter speed to pick up the light. Wonderful!

Robert Amoruso
02-22-2012, 10:18 AM
Agree with the others, well done Mike.

Andrew McLachlan
02-23-2012, 10:36 PM
Well done Mike...love the color.

Roger, thanks for the website links...very helpful info.

Matt Fragale
02-23-2012, 10:56 PM
Wow, that's awesome. Nice work on the exposure and the colors are fantastic. I vaguely remember the aurora when I was a kid and lived up in northern MN, but it's been so long. I would love to go see again. Yep. Adding it to my list!

Jay Gould
02-24-2012, 09:30 AM
Wouldn't change an iota!! This really works for me; would be amazing in a 40" image or even larger.:5

Grace Scalzo
02-29-2012, 04:52 PM
What a treat to open this thumbnail. Absolutely beautiful, Mike.

Andrew Aveley
03-01-2012, 04:01 PM
welldone on a great exposure :) beeeg bucketlist experience for me this :)