Magnetic Storm!

Last Night Suzi, Dave and I went out to look at the Aurora.  At midnight we called it a night.  I had just gotten home and before going to bed my Aurora Watch app told me that there would be a magnetic storm reaching earth in the next 57 minutes.  I grabbed my camera, tripod, lawn chair and a slightly warmer jacket than my windbreaker (After all, it did get down to the mid 50s) and headed out to Starrigavan, which is about 7 miles north of Sitka (as far North as you can drive) has little artificial light and a Northerly view across water.  As I was driving north I could tell, even in my car with tinted windows and headlights on, that something big was going on.

It may not have been the best Aurora I have ever seen but it was close, and as far as dancing movement, they were the best.  They flickered, shimmied and did the hoochy koo.

I had read an article from the Anchorage Dispatch on photographing the Aurora.  It gave a couple of different ideas for white balance settings.  The first set of pics are with white balance set on “Auto.”

OK, that’s on the “Auto” setting.  below is white balance set on “Tungsten.”  As the article said, it gives them an icy blue cast.  I like it but I am not sure if I like it better than the “Auto” setting which gives a more natural color.  I would love your thoughts.

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