Aurora Over the Chena Hot Springs, Alaska
July 03, 2018
Photographer: John Chumack
Summary Author: John Chumack
Featured above is the aurora borealis as viewed over a Mongolian yurt near Chena Hot Springs, Alaska. I co-lead an annual aurora tour and photo workshop, and again this year we were fortunate to have a number of wonderful observing opportunities. Auroras such as this occur whenever the energized particles composing the solar wind collide with atoms and molecules (mostly oxygen and nitrogen) in the Earth's atmosphere -- from 50 mi (80 km) to as high as 400 mi (640 km) above the Earth's surface. The yurt was heated and provided a warm and welcome escape for the brutally cold nights waiting for the northern lights to appear. Nothing better than the hot apple cider or hot chocolate when you're thawing out. Photo taken on March 24, 2018.
Photo Details: Camera: Canon EOS 6D; Software: Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows); Exposure Time: 8.000s; Aperture: ƒ/4.0; ISO equivalent: 3200; Focal Length: 24.0mm.