And here is the rest of day 2 in Alberta and Northwest Territories… the sunset and the northern lights!


Sunset, over one of Canada’s innumerable boreal forests.


A pair of otters. If anyone wonders why I spend so much time between blog posts… it’s the sheer quantity of photos I have to process. I took about 200 just of these otters! (One came out.)


Full moon, perched on top of a cloud.


Aurora, and inverted big dipper. We have arrived!


As promised, a photo of the Alberta/Northwest Territories border. with all the northern staples: aurora, big dipper, yes it is time to head north and see what the world brings.


To continue from the last batch of photos: another waterfalls route marker in sunset light.


Sunset view. I have lots of this general theme because I took about 300 pictures in the span of a half-hour here.


Some flash illumination on the foreground vegetation.


Same theme, slightly different angle.


In stark opposition to the Beatles’ experience: there goes the sun.


An otter, making a wake.


The last atmospheric feature to be illuminated red is this dash of virga to the east.


Obligatory rental-car portrait.


The road looking south.


Back at the territorial border. Spotty terrestrial clouds. It now becomes our task to find a clearing in the sky from which to view the aurora.


Look who shows up to the party! Don’t mind the blurriness – this was a test photo that I took handheld, 10 second exposure, just to detect the levels of auroral activity.


Fisheye, for maximum over-the-top value. Note that it’s not even full dusk, and the lights are this bright.


Over the forests, over the hills.


Just a little bit later in the night.


Back here again? Yes, we are running the same segment of the MacKenzie Highway and here is the place where the sky is the clearest.

and this is where we leave off for the night. I got a few hours of sleep… tomorrow, we resume with bears!