Aurora over the “aurora domes”, a prime indoor spot to photograph the lights. Photo Brad Josephs.
Natural Habitat travelers and the aurora borealis in Churchill.
Photographers under the aurora borealis. Photo Brad Josephs.
Aurora Borealis in Churchill, Manitoba. Photo Colby Brokvist.
Four iconic aurora borealis photos from Churchill, Manitoba. This year’s Natural Habitat trips have started off with fantastic northern lights viewing. We will have a field report this week from Churchill.
Natural Habitat Aurora Pod. Boris Minkevich photo.
Natuaral Habitat Aurora pod. Boris Minkevich photo.
The Natural Habitat Aurora Pod is loaded on the train and ready to head north to Churchill,Mb. When it finally comes to rest somewhere on the tundra in the Churchill region, travelers will be able to view the aurora borealis in the comfort of the pod. Stay tuned for seasonal updates through the end of March!
Aurora in the northern Churchill sky. Brad Josephs photo.
The Hudson Bay Quest’s mushing roster has been trimmed down to 14 as the race draws nearer. Al Hardman has withdrawn his entry and Elizabeth Graves, after just qualifying in the John Beargrease Marathon in Two Harbors, MN, also had a change in plans and cannot attend. The Hudson Bay Quest starts in Gillam, MB this year on March 13th. Churchill, shrouded in snow with aurora borealis overhead ,will welcome mushers over the ensuing few days.
Churchill musher Charlie Lundie and his dog team. Steve Selden photo.
Al ran in the 2000 Iditarod and finished 37th. He then placed 21st in the 2002 Iditarod. In 2004 a virus struck his dog team on the first half of the race though he was able to nurse them to the finish in 59th place. Al is a retired CEO of his own company Hardman Construction in Michigan.
Elizabeth, a musher from Ely, MN, competed in the mid-distance leg of the Beargrease which is the longest sled dog marathon in the lower 48 states at nearly 400 miles. She was able to qualify for the Hudson Bay Quest through her efforts in the Beargrease.
Start of the 2014 Hudson Bay Quest in Churchill, Manitoba. Brad Josephs photo.
Hudson Bay Quest entrant Ryan Anderson won the Beargrease race edging out three time champion Nathan Schroeder by 28 minutes. Anderson also beat Schroeder to the finish line in 2011 by just 20 seconds.
Snowfall in Churchill piling up. Hudson Bay Quest photo.
The OFFICIAL 2015 HBQ race roster is as follows:
1.) Martin Massicotte
2.) Dan DiMuzio
3.) Dave Daley
4.) Justin Allen
5.) Tom Terry
6.) Peter McClelland
7.) Jesse Terry
8.) Jennifer Freking
9.) Charlie Lundie
10.) Blake Freking
11.) Denis Tremblay
12.) Ryan Anderson
13.) Shawn McCarty
14.) Leonard McPherson
February 27th is International Polar Bear day. The commemorative day was designated to bring to light the current plight of polar bears future fate hinging on global warming and reduced yearly sea ice in the north. The day is meant to positively encourage conservation efforts focusing on reduction of carbon output.
Natural Habitat Adventures has teamed up with World Wildlife Fund to create an incredible opportunity to symbolically adopt a polar bear in your name while at the same time venturing to Churchill, Manitoba to see these magnificent creatures in the wild.
Between today and February 27th, Natural Habitat Adventures will pay for your adoption fees through WWF when you book a Churchill polar bear adventure.
Sparring bears in the CWMA. Melissa Scott photo.
Encountering wild polar bears in their natural habitat will thrill and inspire you as well as hopefully motivate you to find ways to help protect this iconic species for the future.
If you reserve one of these trips today up to International Polar Bear Day on Feb. 27 you will receive your personalWWF adoption kit* including a certificate and species info card, frameable polar bear photo, plush polar bear toy, and reusable WWF gift bag.
Churchill and the Arctic have many splendid nights of spectacular aurora borealis..especially at this time of year. “Northern lights” are an amazing experience for anyone lucky enough to make it far enough north to take it in. Further north and closer to the Arctic Circle, the sky has been displaying other fantastic colors since December – but these are different then the aurora borealis.
A rare appearance of polar stratospheric clouds has presented itself on Earth’s northern polar region. These clouds, commonly associated with the formation of ozone holes, form much higher (25 km)in our stratosphere than other more ordinary clouds (5-10 km) and produce incredible colors around the time of sunset.
Polar stratospheric clouds in Skedsmokorset, Norway. Ivar Marthinusen photo.
“Right after sunset on Dec. 22nd, the clouds were so bright they were uncomfortable to look at directly,” says Marthinusen.
Forming when temperatures reach minus 85 C in the lower stratosphere, these icy jewels of the sky are also known as “nacreous” or “mother of pearl” clouds. Sunlight glimmering through the minute ice particles cause the soft, though iridescent colors by means of diffraction. Unfortunately these breathtaking polar stratospheric clouds have a dark lining. They are known now to be associated with ozone destruction.
Polar stratospheric clouds. Wikipedia photo.
However, on the positive side, these clouds can be viewed as a accentuated reminder to carefully watch how we can conserve different energy sources on our planet.
As northern lights season for Natural Habitat Adventures gets underway in Churchill, this seems like the perfect time to break out some of the best photos and videos of aurora borealis. Enjoy these images from Churchill!
Aurora in the night sky at the Tundra Lodge. Colby Brokvist photo.
Charged particles projected from the sun’s surface collide with gaseous particles in the earth’s atmosphere and develop into what we know as Aurora borealis. Color Variations result from the various types of gas particles colliding. Most commonly occurring colors are a pale yellowish-green. These hues are produced by oxygen molecules located nearly 60 miles above the earth. High-altitude oxygen, up to 200 miles above the earth’s surface, produce rare all-red auroras. Blue or purplish-red aurora are produced by Nitrogen particles colliding with particles from the sun.
Because the temperature above the sun’s surface is millions of degrees Celsius, explosive collisions between gas molecules constantly occur. As the sun rotates, free protons and electrons are ejected through the surrounding atmosphere. Solar winds feeding off the rotation blow towards Earth and these charged particles are deflected by the earth’s magnetic field. Since the earth’s atmosphere is weaker at the poles, particles enter and then collide with gas particles. Dancing lights are produced and have captivated our imaginations for centuries!
