Universe in a Ball

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 31, 2011231 views13 comments

LARGER VERSION INCLUDED

I went out an evening in January hoping for some Aurora Borealis action...but the sky was kinda hazy, so I didn't have too high hopes. I drove to a location I know can be nice, and when I got there the sky was fairly clear. I stopped the car and looked north, there was some activity but not too much. So I turned around just to have a look around and saw this ENORMOUS halo around the moon. I think I spent 15 minutes trying all sorts of different comps on this, this is the one that came out best. One of the most spectacular things I have ever seen!

EDIT: The little green band to the left of the halo is a little bit of Aurora Borealis. :)

C&C is hugely welcomed.

Canon 5D & 17-40
ISO 1600
f/4
13sec

Comments

13 comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 31, 2011 at 6:11 PM

Very neat shot. Excellent comp, and just light enough to check out all the details but still looks like a night shot.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on January 31, 2011 at 6:41 PM

I've seen pictures of solar halos like this, but this is the first lunar halo that I've seen. It also looks like there's some Aurora action in the middle left that I would have call iridescence without your description. This is a great picture.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on January 31, 2011 at 6:47 PM

While haloes around the moon aren't uncommon, great images of them are much less so. This is perhaps the finest I've seen of this phenomenon. Excellent work, Håkon!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on January 31, 2011 at 8:20 PM

Beautiful, surreal landscape.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on January 31, 2011 at 9:14 PM

Awesome.
We had one occur here about a week ago. I didn't see it until I got home so I jumped back into the car and drove to an area nearby where there were no power poles, wires and other obstructions, but by then it was gone.
Great job, the details are nice and the splash of color on the left really adds to an already fantastic image.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Siggins on January 31, 2011 at 9:57 PM

Very nice. When I saw the thumbnail I assumed it was a Sun Dog. Great job on the capture.

Registered on October 11, 2007, 115 Posts, 223 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on January 31, 2011 at 10:07 PM

Very neat, Håkon. Quite surreal, but a very interesting and create use of moon light. What do you think the green wisp is?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Håkon Iversen on February 1, 2011 at 4:49 AM

Thanks for all the comments! To answer your questions, the little band of green is a little bit of Aurora Borealis. :-)

Registered on August 16, 2010, 20 Posts, 123 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on February 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM

I really like this image. I gives me a real sense of being there. Very good job.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on February 1, 2011 at 11:41 AM

Wow, very interesting, I have never seen anything like this, great job in getting this, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on February 1, 2011 at 1:23 PM

Wow that is very cool indeed! I like the composition as well, with the trees and is that a distant peak? I'll ignore the little piece of fence for now

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on February 1, 2011 at 4:13 PM

Håkon,

Fantastic capture of this phenomena of nature. And to capture this above the wintery landscape is a real bonus as is the touch of color from the Northern Lights! Awesome.

Wearing the same hat as Floris, keep in the mind the "hand of man" for next time. Pretty insignificant in the frame but certainly apparent. Terrific image regardless.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on February 1, 2011 at 6:38 PM

Phenomenal scene Håkon. I wish you had posted it in M&N. Beautiful work!

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments