This evening saw a strong geomagnetic storm, thanks to an Earth-facing coronal hole on the sun. Unfortunately, south-west Iceland was under a heavy blanket of cloud and it was question of waiting patiently for the few gaps to appear. Very frustrating given the excellent auroras being photographed in north and east Iceland, and in the UK.
I could see glimpses of aurora through tiny cloud gaps from 19:30, but it was around 21:00 that there were sufficient patches of clear sky to see anything significant. From 21:00 to 22:40 I shot a number of images, but mostly they were taken between 21:05 and 21:35 when there was a 30 min period of slightly clearer sky. A selection of images is shown below, with information on settings.
21:07 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 18 sec. Looking north. Some nice bands forming over the mountains to the north, green to the naked eye.
21:12 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 19 sec. Looking north.
21:16 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 20 sec. Looking north. Green bands widening and moving higher in the sky.
21:19 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 8 sec. Looking south-west. Sudden increase in activity overhead with a curtain of tall rays and purple tops moving southwards towards Reykjavik.
21:21 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 5.4 sec. Looking south-west. Curtain over Reykjavik, visible against bad light pollution in the clouds.
21:27 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 5.3 sec. Looking east. Active band moving at moderate speed into swirling pattern in the sky.
21:29 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 4 sec. Looking east. Vivid green band passing immediately overhead.
21:31 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 2.9 sec. Looking directly upwards at the band overhead, some purples visible.
21:34 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 7 sec. Looking east. The band is still very vivid, even against the bright light of the rising moon.
21:40 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 17 sec. Looking north. Moderate intensity bands forming in the north again above the mountains.
21:49 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 6.3 sec. Looking east.
22:29 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 4.1 sec. Looking south-east. The heavy clouds are closing again, reflecting both moonlight and strong orange light pollution. Aurora band still just visible through the gaps.
22:38 UTC. Taken at: ISO = 1600, f/2.8 @ 14 mm, exposure = 2.9 sec. Looking north-east. Stopped to chat with an Icelandic horse and a glint of aurora was still shining through a cloud gap in the background.
