Damn cold but finally got some good pics

Firstly, the first group left on Tuesday, a great bunch of people but was quickly followed by the Earth Watch group that came in late Tuesday and Wednesday. A most eclectic group, Russian, Turk, Japanese, Indian, New Orleanians, British, Canadian and USA - I think I covered them all. Many are here through their company which in 4 cases is Shell Oil. I'll have to get more bios. I sat in on the first meeting where the leader went over the general areas of interest: for approximately 12 years Earth Watch has been monitoring established monitoring stations for snowpack information and also other areas to determine tree growth and recruitment (are the tree lines expanding northward). The snowpack methodology involves digging snow pits and measuring such variables as temperature gradients, crystal structure, water content, etc. They'll be going out every morning and afternoon for about 9 days in rather cold and windy weather: you should think twice before signing up for this one! But everyone seemed pretty positive when they got back today after their afternoon of training. There are 15 of them plus two leaders, btw.

Thursday another group of about 24 shows up for the northern lights and they'll be here until Tuesday. More names to learn, for sure, but they all have interesting stories.

So, tonight as we were almost finished cleaning up after dinner, Roger "Starman" came rushing in to say the show was on. Linda was on to it immediately bringing down the camera and tripod. Wearing only sneakers and a tee shirt, I threw on my jacket and bomber hat and glove liners to go outside into the approximate -9F with -33F windchill. No face protection. You do not want to be facing the wind for long! So I focused on the moon, took a few pics, then refocused on Jupiter which gave me sharper pics. You need to occasionally refocus your infinity point as your camera does the old shrinkage trick which all us guys hate. Most of the pics have a building or antenna in them for visualization although Linda prefers not to have them in it. So I'll be taking a variety of pics, of course. After a number of pics (f1.8, ISO 400, exposure time 8 seconds) I was freezing, especially my hands which only had liners and my face whenever I faced into the wind - quickly learned to press the shutter and turn away from the wind. But it appeared I was getting much better pics than the last two times. See for yourself. And I'm sure there will be more and better to come.

Next I have to go out into the tree line to get pics with trees in the foreground which should be quite lovely.

I'll have to start talking about life as a volunteer soon. Much easier being a volunteer at DEP, believe me!

And I'll leave you with a picture of Alex and Vince, two of the young guys from the first group who were quite helpful and fun.They went out three times to take pics! Crazy boys!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone (tomorrow).

Tired volunteer going to bed - after I check out more NLs as I just got a knock on the door from Starman.

Learning to film the Northern Lights

Thursday night there was a display early in the evening about 9 but it really didn't compare to what we saw the previous night, our epic fail night trying to take a picture. Thursday saw the arrival of the first group of Learning Adventurers, a total of 21. Lots of excitement as people streamed for the observatory, the outside deck, and the parking lot (yes, we can go outside but still prefer a supervisor although there are no guns) but the display just wasn't that great. So, I went to bed. About 1 AM the vocal alarm was shouted down the hallway as Linda passed the word to Starman that it was happening. She said for a short time, mostly before everyone got out, it was even better than the night before. But someone did get a good pic that evening - I'm still trying to find out at what time. So, here are the pics you've all been waiting for - and there should be more and better to come over the next few weeks - although not taken by us. Although this display was not particularly strong, the camera does enhance the color versus the eye. But the lights are still amazing by eye alone.

Picture by Alex - foreground is rocket launch and this is the view from our room window

Picture by Alex

Unfortunately, especially for the group who leaves Tuesday, we are having another cloudy night.

I'll have more to say as I get adjusted to the rigors of being a volunteer. Now I sleep. Or maybe not as Linda just came in (10:15 PM) to say that the clouds might be lifting and the show might be going on; people are beginning to suit up. It's -7F, feels like -27 according to the weather site.

Good luck to all of you who are shoveling out!

Snuggling by the Northern Lights

This is just a short post to see if folks who are subscribed are seeing the new posts. But, nevertheless, here are a few items. Early this morning, about 0030, I awoke as the train slowed down and looking out my open sleeping berth window (the shade was up, if the window had been open you would have been reading my obituary) there were the Northern Lights (from herein on referred to as NLs). Not too intense and only green (nitrogen excitation) but there they were. I woke Linda up in the across aisle berth and she snuck over to watch for awhile until her sleeping pill dragged (drugged?) her back to her berth. They only lasted about an hour and I watched the whole time. Hoping for bigger and better during our stay, of course. So, we are in Churchill, it is incredibly cold and I got scolded by the station master for not having my jacket zipped up! Much more later as am pretty tired after a day of traveling and cleaning the cafeteria, etc. And, if you are one of the subscribers currently, let me know if you get a notification. Once I figure out how notifications work, I would encourage any of you interested in following the blog to subscribe and I will provide details.

Greyhound dogsled to Thompson

Greyhounds!

Mush, you huskies! We've hitched up the sled and are on our way for a 9 hour trip to Thompson where we'll stay at the Frozen Balls B&B. And watch the Pats win or lose another one!

Off to see the lights

February 2, 2012 - Massachusetts to Winnipeg, Manitoba

Keeping our fingers crossed for good weather so we make our connecting flight in Chicago to Winnipeg. And that we continue to have good weather for the next day on the 9 hour bus ride to Thompson, Manitoba, where we will be staying at a B&B and, hopefully, watching the Patriots in the Superbowl. Sorry to anyone who I forgot to tell that the party at our house is off this year - or is it as way too many people said it could be held without us being there: just hope Bob and Barbara clean up before we get back LOL.

We're going to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, Manitoba.

Here's a link to the Centre. Just zoom out to see the town about 23 Km to the west. And nothing else!

Forecast | Maps | Radar

Curtis Comfort Inn

We begin the most hazardous part of our journey as we drive Rt 84 near Hartford seeking a safe overnight haven, free parking, a jar of mayonnaise, and complimentary airport shuttle from the Curtis House and Parking Service.

With a good night's sleep and the fabled famous crepes breakfast served at the inn, we will be off to Winnipeg mid-morning on Saturday. Weather looks good, temperatures in Winnipeg are normal (if you consider -10F normal), and we look forward to a restful night near the airport with maybe a trip into downtown.

Our host dresses for dinner...a little out of the ordinary.

And stayed tuned for the Grand Experiment - can you put a plastic jar of Fluff in your checked luggage? They don't seem to have Fluff up there so despite so trepidation, I've got two jars in gallon ziplocs in my luggage. Might be spending my first day washing everything. Or talking to security.

Wonder if I can enter this is the Google nationwide Science Fair?