It’s starting to feel like winter is setting in. There are two main seasons here: summer and winter. And it’s cold all the time!
With that said it was about time that the lounge chair on the balcony got some usage. It was really nice to close my eyes and imagine sun baking somewhere on a tropical island listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, to be rudely interrupted by my face starting to freeze off and realizing it was only −14°C. The sun was behind a thick layer of cloud, and the sea was frozen over. It’s nice to dream now and then.
As usual the weather has been a mixed bag. With temperatures as warm as −8°C, usually occurring when the snow falls and there is some wind. Also as cold as −26.3°C when the skies are clear and there is no wind.
Photography is a passion of mine and I’ve been waiting patiently for a few photos that I would love to capture. I've been following the moon phases and on the 22nd of April during the full moon I was able to capture the moments when the moon set over the frozen Prydz Bay and the amazing iceberg sculptures. Here the moon looks like a fireball erupting on the horizon. I am happy that the weather played its part providing a relatively clear sky.
Once again the Aurora Australis has been very active. Watching the gauges that assist in predicting auroras one particular night caught us by surprise. This was the second time that evening I got a knock on my window to alert me of an aurora. Heading away from the station light pollution I took a time lapse of the moon rising over the plateau with the aurora dancing in the night skies overhead.
One of the other photos I’ve wanted to take is the sun behind the crosses on Anchorage Island. These three crosses are in remembrance of three expeditioners who passed away at Davis station: Stephen Bunning, Martin Davies and Peter Orbansen — soon to be four crosses with the passing of David Wood this season. Unfortunately it was snowing and clouded in a few days ago when I wanted to take the photo and when the sun was due to be directly behind the crosses.
However, a couple of days later, I was provided a glimmer of hope a few minutes before the sun dipped below the horizon. Patiently waiting, the sun showed through a gap in the clouds and with all the ice crystals in the air it created a light pillar which rose directly above the crosses, complete with another phenomena called sundogs or parhelia (not shown in photos).
Not only was it satisfying to capture this moment in time, but was great to also take a few moments out to remember those four expeditioners.
Aaron Stanley