Many thanks. I think, You can send the shells as a parcel. In the customs declaration, it is best to state "scientific material, no commercial value". Greetings --Llez (talk) 15:14, 23 February 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, here we go. So auroras are about to peak soon due to increased activity in this solar cycle. See [1], [2], [3] &[4]. Last week this one was shot in NY and this one with Perseids was shot in Ohio, even further south than NY. During the big aurora in May, you got these from NY. The first thing you do is to start scouting for a good location. You need a place with an open view to the north, like a hill, park or beach. As you've seen in my photos, you don't need absolute darkness. If you can see stars, then it's fine for aurora too. At southern locations, the auroras can mostly only be seen down by the horizon and up about 1/4 of the sky to the zenith. Try to get something nice in the foreground or to frame it with.
If I lived in NY, I'd probably go somewhere along the north coast of Long Island. According to the light pollution map, it has about the same light as where I live. The Hamptons would be preferable, and this here 40°54′15″N72°31′41″W / 40.904295°N 72.528166°W / 40.904295; -72.528166 would be a perfect location. You get a clear view north over the bay, a gap in the lights between New Haven and New London, and the lights from the mainland shielded by the North Fork.
Next up if following the weather forecasts, both normal and space. My go-to page is NOAA. When the charts start to turn yellow-orange, you know something is up. Scroll down to Aurora Forecast and hit play. When the "doughnut" starts to bloat and turn some other color than green as it hits your location, it's time to get moving. Social media are also great. Follow some aurora chasers (there are many in Scotland, Alaska and Minnesota), a lot of these guys will post photos almost immediately when an aurora starts, so this will give you a heads up. Aurora nights often come in pairs, so if you are late to the party the first night, you might get it the next.
Tech stuff: A tripod is a must. Always do manual focus, set it on some small bright spot as far away as possible. Strong auroras can be shot at ISO 800, but usually you'll need to go up to 1600-3200, or further if you have a really good camera. Use a short lens, 18-24 mm, as these things are huge. Use the lowest aperture possible, anything from f/1.2 to f/4.5. Since the aurora can move very quickly at times, don't let the exposure time get too long, try to keep it under 10 sek (ideally 2-6 sek). Auroras behave a bit like smoke, and the shorter the time, the more well-defined you can get the rays and drapes of the aurora. With longer time, you will get a more hazy glow, and also star trails. Last week I was primarily out to get meteors and thus used very long exposure (25-30 sek) and I was just plain lucky the aurora was a bit sluggish that night.
To the naked eye, auroras are paler than you see in photos. The camera will pick up the color better than your eyes, especially for red/pink auroras, since they often drift into the infrared spectrum. When I shot this one, I was so focused on the meteors, I actually didn't notice the aurora until I saw it glowing on the camera screen; it was too close to IR. A good start for you would be to just set up the camera somewhere when you think there might be an aurora (according to forecasts), point it north and see if you catch anything. The camera can pick up things you yourself don't see at first. Faint auroras take some time to learn to pick out, but once you see it, you’re hooked.
Do not be afraid to take partial shots of the aurora, they can sometimes make for better compositions than doing the whole thing.
Ask follow-up questions if you like, and May the Earth’s Force Field be with you! --Cart(talk)11:00, 20 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
So this might be a 'heads up'. When accounts like this [5] start paying attention to increased solar activity, auroras might happen in a few days. We can see the solar activity long before the particles reach Earth and that's what the enthusiasts go for. --Cart(talk)22:06, 28 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Belatedly, thanks for all of this! Interesting that you would go east a couple hours to Long Island rather than north a couple hours -- I suppose a couple hours north wouldn't change that much compared to a big open view? I think most likely this is advice I will save for when I'm going to a place that's darker/more open and check the forecsasts then (rather than driving a couple hours from the city on a chance.... unless the chance is really big), but I do hope to use it. — Rhododendritestalk | 11:17, 29 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
If I had a choice, I would always go to a place with water reflection for auroras, hence my recommendation for Long Island. A beach is also easier for a beginner since it provides an unhindered 180 deg view. On land you always run into obstacles like vegetation when the aurora decides to veer of course. Myself, I'm a bit landlocked now that I don't have a car and the busses stop going at 22:00. Sure, I live close to the fjord, but hiking there alone at night and taking on the local wildlife (moose, wild boar), is not something I like.
I hope you'll get a chance to do this kind of photography soon. You might want to keep an eye on the sky even from NYC. With the strong auroras now, I've seen a lot of photos taken right in cities, so it's a start. This here is taken right in central Stockholm(!), so it's the equivalent of making a shot from the Brooklyn Bridge Park (even if that photo might be faked). The aurora can be spotted, but very few people think there is even a chance to capture it, so they just Don't Look Up. (pardon the very bad pun) --Cart(talk)12:39, 29 August 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Just a heads up. Strong aurora warning today. The beginning of it was seen in mid US last night and it looks like it's building up for another night. [6] I'm praying the clouds outside will go away. --Cart(talk)14:51, 12 September 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Hi Rhododendrites, Not quite yet but this year I would like to plan it ahead of time to avoid the last minute rush. I remember I used one of your images last year. I don't understand anything about art, but I just very much like your images, and am considering using one to embed in my holidays wiki-mailout this year.
Thank you kindly for your thoughtful wishes. The family gathering on Christmas Eve was wonderful for me as well. A karaoke night sounds like a fantastic idea. Off the top of my head, I can imagine YMCA, Bohemian Rhapsody, or Born to Be Wild being great hits for the group. Wishing you a Happy New Year :) All the best, -- Radomianin (talk) 16:22, 27 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Happy New Year! As always at the beginning of the new year, I'm inviting you to share your most memorable shot of the past year. Which of your photos stood out in 2024? Which image created special memories that you'd like to share with others? On behalf of the Commons Photographers User Group I wish you, your family, and your friends all the best for 2025. Warmly, --Ailura (talk) 18:05, 14 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks. If I'm being honest, tapirs weren't even really on our radar for things to look for -- we were there for the birds, monkeys, and reptiles, with maybe a chance of a cat. We didn't appreciate just how lucky we were until we saw the reactions of everyone we talked to afterwards. :) — Rhododendritestalk | 17:34, 22 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]
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