Nikon D200 problems, part1

Recently my Nikon D200 stopped to work. When exposing it for couple of hours to low temps, about -10C or colder, mirror does not return anymore into its original position. Another press of shutter returns mirror. No image was the saved to CF-card, upper LCD shows "Err" -text.

Today I finally had time to leave D200 to service at JAS-Tekniikka. Estimate of total service costs, that made 39 euros. More on that, at next week...

Nightsky imaging, part1

During christmas, only one night (!) was clear to take some nightsky photos. These three following images were took at place, which is quite a free from light pollution (ie. Vesanto at central Finland). After my eyes had adapted to darkness, the sight was really beautiful. Milky Way was very clearly visible, and no moonlight at all. Dark areas were easily seen.

Natures sounds was really interesting to listen: owl on the near forest, sounds of ice movement on the nearby lake, dogs barking on the neighborhood, water flowing on the small river and low temperature cracking sounds from trees. Interesting experience indeed...

One sound I was not able to recognize - it sounded like mixture of laughing and barking with a hoarse tone in it. I suspect it could be either Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) or Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). If someone knows this sound, leave a comment...

Orion, Hyades cluster and Pleiades (M45).
Big Dipper at northern sky.
Cygnus and Milky Way.

New type of halo found

At 5th December 2008, couple of web sites informed about new halo type, that was discovered by Marko Riikonen, at northern Finland. It is located below Moilanen arc. See discussion and images about this topic at:

Tähdet ja avaruus -news
Ice crystal halos - blog
Tähdet ja avaruus 8/2008 -magazine
Atmospheric Optics - Les Cowley

Nikon EH-6 secrets, part2

On my previous post #1 about Nikon EH-6, I described alternative supplies for powering DSLR. Since many Nikon models have been released after that, I summarize current situation:

Compatible with EH-6 supply:
D3
D3x

Not compatible with EH-6:
D700 - uses EH-5a/EH-5 supply
D300 - uses EH-5a supply

Sunset colours

On clear and chilly Monday evening I was walking out on company parking place, half an hour after sunset. In the opposite side of sun, earth shadow and belt of Venus were rising above horizon. The sky was strangely colored around sun, in a large area.

Light pink hue was easily visible. Normally during sunset sky turns first to orange and then red, even deep red. I remembered that earlier this year there was a volcanic eruption at Mount Kasatochi, located at Aleutian islands.

I assume this event could cause the colors, but I sill am not 100% sure... During the autumn reports of such colorful sunsets are received from Sweden. Many reports also have been coming from central Europe.

Before this eruption (if I correctly remember) was the famous mount Pinatubo eruption. Huge amount of aerosols and small dust particles were blown into upper atmosphere.

Trip to Kilpisjärvi

During mid-september 2008 I had a nature photography trip to northern Finland, i.e. Kilpisjärvi. In addition to landscape and nature details photographs, I captured some images of atmospheric phenomenon. I am again waiting the next opportunity to get there with my camera, so beautiful the landscape is there when the lightning conditions are good...

Auroras above lake Kilpisjärvi.

Sunpillar above lake Kilpisjärvi.

Misty morning and fogbow.

Swans and nightsky

Yesterday it was a clear sky on the evening already, later on at 11pm I went out to take a photo of Pleiades - M45. My Purpose was to get it composed with part of the public building. I need to try photographing again, since I was now too late. Position of Pleiades was not suitable.

When returning home, I got a really nice "surprise", so to speak... Aircrafts are flying quite a frequently in this area (i.e. Espoo) - so I understood there was another jet flying on the sky. First impression was wrong, oh boy! The "plane" was moving too fast - to be normal one. It was a migrating swan, against the thousands of stars on the nightsky. Below the swan there was a lit public building, a local church (mormonikirkko). Those very powerful and narrow light beams hit the swan from below and made it almost glow magically in the night... The situation was passed away so quickly, but damn it was so beautiful sight! I was happy to return home (although I was a bit suffering from cold weather).