Naming the Aurora?
Galileo (1564-1642), the founder of modern astronomy, thought the rarely-seen lights were caused by rays from the rising sun as they bounced off the Earth's atmosphere When he needed a Latin name for the phenomenon, he chose that of Aurora, Roman goddess of the dawn. 2009 is the 400th anniversary of the year Galileo first turned a telescope to the skies.
對我來說，來這麼一趟加拿大…就算沒有找到老公，看到這道光…一切都值得了！
至於極光，為什麼會這麼吸引人呢？就因為…她不是每個地方都看得到，不是每天都看得到。
Where is the best place to see aurora?
Can I see it from where I live?
離我住的地方可以看到極光的地點有？
The maps below show the average location of the auroral oval in the northern and southern hemispheres.
下面的地圖顯示在地球的南北半球被極光圈所涵括的範圍
在北半球，可以看到極光的地點包含 阿拉斯加的Fairbanks，及加東很多地方；在歐洲，冰島和一些北半球可看到更多的極光。（南半球…我就不多說了）
The farther away from the average oval you live, the smaller your chance of seeing aurora. For example, people in the northern New England states may be able to see aurora several times a year, while people living in the southeastern US may only have the opportunity to see the aurora a few times in a century! The chart below shows the average percentage of nights per year that the aurora might be seen:
What is the best time of year to see aurora?
一年之中何時是看極光的最好時間？
In northern regions like Alaska, the best time to view aurora is around the equinox (March and late September-October) because this time of year offers the best trade-off between mild weather and dark skies. During the summer months, night skies are not dark enough to view aurora, and in midwinter temperatures in the -40 degree range make outdoor aurora viewing somewhat unpleasant.
在北半球，像阿拉斯加，最好的時機是晝夜平分時（三月或是九月底十月時），因為每年這個時後的氣候和夜空有最好的交替。夏天時天色不夠暗不足以看到極光；而冬天-40度的低溫讓人在戶外等極光會不舒服。
Will I be able to see aurora when I visit in a few months?
我需要安排一個月的時間去看極光嗎?
It is not possible to predict auroral activity very far in advance. As solar activity increases towards the maximum in 2000-2001, the aurora will be even less predictable, with forecasts being limited to a few days based on current observations of solar flares and sunspots.
不可能提前很早預測極光的活動。目前預測僅於觀測太陽耀斑和黑子幾天來推測。
So, if you are planning a trip months in advance, consider the previous faqs on typical auroral locations and viewing seasons. Beyond that, we can truly say, "your guess is as good as ours."
所以，如果你要預先計畫極光行，可以參考 typical auroral locations and viewing seasons. 的問與答。且我們可以很老實地說: 你的猜測不會比我們的準。
If you are planning to visit Alaska, be sure to check out the State of Alaska Division of Tourism page.
如果你打算去阿拉斯加，請務必參考 State of Alaska Division of Tourism 網頁。
Information about Fairbanks accomodations can be found through the Fairbanks Convention and Visitor's Bureau or the Fairbanks Association of Bed and Breakfasts.
重點來了…看到極光，要怎麼拍咧??
我真的要說…我們不是專業攝影師，對我們來說真的很難拍到清楚又不晃的照片…
且極光會不停的變幻顏色和形狀，跟本就是在考試嘛…
我在網路上找到一位專業的攝影師，這是他的網誌…教大家怎麼拍極光…
http://www.alaskaphotographyblog.com/how-to-photograph-the-northern-lights-with-a-digital-camera/#where
Equipment needed
You don't need expensive cameras for your Northern light photography. I use a Canon EOS 400D. You can use any camera that: can take long exposures (up to 30 seconds)a wide angle lens
a telephoto lens (optional)
a cable release, remote shutter release cord or remote control (optional)
warm clothes
fold-up chair (optional, but nice to have if you have to sit and wait)
Remove UV filter and any other filters from your lenses. Too often the filters will cause concentric rings and disturb your northern light photography.
Choice of Lens
You can use a 55 mm lens, but often you'll want to get more of the sky into the image when there's aurora activity all over the sky.To get more of the sky in, you'll need a lens in the range below 20 mm. I use a 10-20 mm lens.
A lens slower than f/4.0 is going to be troublesome to work with, as exposure times and/or ISO numbers will have to be raised to compensate.
At times you want to zoom in on nice colours or patterns and shapes. Then a telephoto lens is handy.
Basic settings
If possible, use ony manual settings. This applies also to the auto-focus (AF). Remember that AF does not work when photographing night skies.Use the widest aperture (smallest f-number, i.e. 2,8 or 4). With a wide aperture you can use higher shutter speeds.
Experiment with shutter speeds up to 30 seconds. f/4.0, up to 30 seconds
f/2.8, 15-20 seconds
Set the focus at infinity.
It will be OK to set the ISO number at 400. Higher numbers (800 or 1600) may give more grainy photos, but may still be necessary to try out.
Use daylight white balance. But if you don't know about white balance, don't let that stop you. Go ahead.
Lower the LCD brightness. Good for your night vision.
RAW mode
If you are able to do some manipulation on an image processing program, then you should consider using the RAW mode (if your camera supports it). If not, just go ahead and experiment.希望大家都能拍到好照片!!
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