Arctic Auroras

I took a return trip to Norway this September to chase the auroras. This time, I was in Tromso, a city on the northern coast of Norway that’s within the Arctic Circle, and a prime aurora viewing location. While the weather wasn’t fully cooperative at times, I can confidently say it was a success!

DSC 5921 thumb

Aside from auroras, Tromso has breathtaking natural landscapes everywhere you go, such as this panoramic view from Ornfloya:

Ornfloya   Panorama II thumb

One place I revisited was Bergen, a beautiful coastal city with some beautiful sunsets:

Bergen   Sunset Panorama I thumb

This trip has fully cemented Norway in my mind as one of the most scenic places in the world. Until next time, ha det bra!

Stars of Summer

Nothing like spending warm summer nights contemplating the majesty of the skies above.

Elephant Trunk Nebula (IC 1396) in SHO narrowband:

IC 1396   Elephant Trunk Nebula in Narrowband thumb

Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) in HOS narrowband:

NGC 7635   Bubble Nebula in Narrowband thumb

Trifid Nebula (Messier 20) in HSO narrowband:

M 20   Trifid Nebula in Narrowband thumb

Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) in OSH narrowband:

NGC 6960   Veil Nebula in Narrowband thumb

Perseids Meteor Shower:

Perseids   August 2024 thumb

Crater Lake and the Milky Way:

Crater Lake   Milky Way thumb

Colors on the Ground, Colors in the Sky

In which a voyage to Seattle

Kerry Park   Sunset Panorama II thumb

Reveals a cornucopia of chrominance

Tulip Festival   Rainbow around the Tree thumb

And precedes a trip to Denver

Civic Center Park   State Capitol Sunset III thumb

Where night dazzles with iridescence

Jackson Lake   Auroras and Star Trails thumb

A Pair of Pairs

With "galaxy season" underway in the Northern Hemisphere, I thought I’d shine a spotlight on two pairs of galaxy pairs. First up, the Whirlpool Galaxy, or Messier 51a, along with its companion dwarf galaxy Messier 51b:

M 51   Whirlpool Galaxy thumb

Next, Bode’s Galaxy (Messier 81) and the Cigar Galaxy (Messier 82):

M 81 and M 82 thumb

As with many galaxy images, there are lots of other smaller or more distant galaxies within view. How many of these galactic photobombers can you find?

Autumn from Both Sides of the Pacific

This past autumn, I ventured to two places on opposite sides of the Pacific Ocean in a quest for spectacular scenery and colorful autumn foliage. One trip was to Alaska, my first time there. The fall colors season in Alaska is apparently very brief compared to other places, lasting only about 1-2 weeks. While it was not a primary objective of the trip, I was luckily able to catch the tail end of the fall colors around Anchorage.

Eagle River   Mountains and Foliage thumb

And speaking of luck, I was extremely fortunate to be able to see the Northern Lights for the first time! Witnessing such a beautiful dance play out in the night sky is an experience I’d never forget.

DSC 2156 thumb

My next trip was a return visit to Japan, this time to the Tokyo and Mount Fuji regions, as compared to the Kansai region back all the way back in the spring of 2014. Just like last time, I immediately fell in love with its welcoming people, delicious food, and beautiful architecture:

Tokyo Station   At Night I thumb

Yes, Tokyo can be extremely crowded at times, such as when trying to navigate the inexorable currents of people in a train station during peak hours, but even the barely-contained chaos of the metropolis is awe-inspiring, as if it were a living, breathing organism. That said, it was nice to take a breather to the (slightly) less crowded parts of Japan around Mount Fuji. And when you see Mount Fuji for the first time, especially in such close proximity, it’s easy to see why the mountain plays such a central role in Japanese culture.

Tenjozan Park   Mountain Clouds thumb

The seasons also feature prominently in Japanese culture, and autumn is no exception, with beautiful maple and ginko trees turning entire forests and hillsides into a kaleidoscope of colors.

Takaosan   Forest Foliage III thumb

Yes, I admit I may have gone a bit overboard uploading three albums for Alaska, and six for Japan, but these are images and moments that will stay with me forever. I hope you enjoy them!