Sun, Plane, People, Mail, Freshies, and Nacreous Clouds

The winfly plane flights have come and gone, bringing with them about 350 new people, mail, fresh fruit and veggies, old friends, and new cold and flu viruses to infect us toasty winter-over folk.
The return of the sun is helping to re-energize our T3 addled brains (see the blog entry from this time last year), and general station activities involve everyone getting ready for the start of the summer season at the end of the month.

The first Winfly C-17 plane emerges out of the fog on the runway

Passenger disembarking the plane into the -45 degree air

Transporting the passengers back to McMurdo across the Ice Shelf, our first view the sun in over 4 months as it
briefly skirts the horizon at noon.

Mount Erebus to the north casts a shadow across Mount Discovery to the south-west

Polar Stratospheric Clouds (Nacreous Clouds) in the upper atmosphere being illuminated by the sun below
the horizon. These clouds form when ozone-depleting gasses crystallize in the extreme cold, creating incredible
rainbow hues when the sun hits them.

Nacreous Cloud

Nacreous Cloud behind ice ridge

Nacreous Clouds above Mount Discovery in the twilight

Nacreous Clouds being illuminated by the moon

Moon set over Salient Peak

Aurora above one of the McMurdo fuel tanks. Not too long now and it will be too light at night to see auroras with
the return of the sun.

Moon rise

And lastly, here is a video clip I made up from about 400 individual photos I took last year showing what it is like to fly from Black Island, across the ice shelf, past the Pegasus Airfield and land at McMurdo.
To watch the Hi-Def version follow the link to vimeo...


Fly-Lapse from Anthony Powell on Vimeo.


 

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Comments

  • 9/30/2009 5:42 AM Raner wrote:
    Great pictures as always!
    Any news about your film?
    Reply to this
    1. 10/12/2009 12:43 PM Antz wrote:
      Still working on it. Got most of the time-lapse photo sequences all re-rendered in HD now, and am getting into the more serious editing side of things.
      Reply to this
  • 11/8/2009 2:12 PM Jessica C. wrote:
    Dear Antz,

    So, I have been a follower of your blog, your YouTube videos, 48 hour films, and pictures for quite sometime now and I thought I would finally comment! Also, I recently met someone, her name is Jana, who wintered over with you a few years ago. I love your work immensely and every time I need a cheering up, I always watch some video of yours!

    I also am obsessed with Antarctica and hope to research there in the future (specifically with Adelies or Emperor Penguins). This winter break (or austral summer) I will be going on a study abroad there (only to visit the Antarctic Peninsula), but it will be the closest to making my dreams come true! I just need to winter over along with summer research to see those breathtaking aurora australis. Thank you so much for your awe-inspiring work!! I am really looking forward to your motion picture (and soundtrack)!
    Reply to this
    1. 11/8/2009 5:18 PM Antz wrote:
      Great to hear.
      Best of luck with your plans.
      Reply to this
  • 11/23/2009 12:36 PM Mark O'Shea wrote:
    Hi Antz--I'm trying to send an email to Christine, but don't have a current address, apparently. I'm thinking of returning to the ice, and was hoping to get a miracle last-minute gig for next winter. I don't know who's running supply, or if there are other people I know that I can talk to. Please have her write...I hope you're well. Remember the Austin Film Festival (autumn) and SXSW Film Festival (also in Austin, in March) when your film is ready. Mark O'Shea
    Reply to this
  • 2/26/2010 6:26 AM John wrote:
    Anthony,
    Nice work, Is that a Tyler Mount? I'm in NM doing documentary work and had a few questions if you have the time.
    What exactly is dc dc convertor you use for 5d MK2? I'm having power troubles and unable to get a solution going yet. It's cold here and I need to shoot for 12+ hours at 5-25 Farenheit.
    Thanks for your interest.
    Reply to this
    1. 3/2/2010 11:23 AM Antz wrote:
      I just use an off the shelf cigarette lighter adapter rated at 1.5amps along with the canon dc adapter/ fake battery.
      Check out the timescapes discussion board for all sorts of tips... http://www.timescapes.org/phpBB3/index.php
      Reply to this
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