The Winter Creeps up on us – or should I say down
Took this photo today of the Roasme Mountain range, and winter is just 1,000 meters away from us now. Soon we’ll be engulfed by the magic of snow..!
Winter is coming – the snow coveres mountain peaks gets whiter by the day
Et Voila!
I reported on clear skies and a hope for northern light yesterday. And my dreams came through! Here is the first of the photos. It was a “flash” at the beginning of the show, and the reason why I picked this, is simply because of the really cool reflections in the fjord. This was taken at 20 seconds exposure, which makes it kind of blurry, but still it came out nice with a little adjustments for white balance.
Northern Lights behind clouds reflecting into the Ofoten Fjord. Narvik peninsula to the right.
How simple ideas lead to scientific discoveries
Adam Savage walks through two spectacular examples of profound scientific discoveries that came from simple, creative methods anyone could have followed — Eratosthenes’ calculation of the Earth’s circumference around 200 BC and Hippolyte Fizeau’s measurement of the speed of light in 1849. (Launching a series on Inventions that Shaped History)
“How Simple Ideas Lead to Scientific Discoveries” was animated by the TED-Ed Animation Team (Jeremiah Dickey, Biljana Labovic, Celeste Lai, Kari Mulholland and Franz
Vodpod videos no longer available.
Update 0830 zulu time – Orion spotted heat signature – no results
As of 0830 zulu time, the Norwegian transport plane that went down in the mountains yesterday with a crew of four men and one woman, has still not been found.
The weather in the area has been terrible with visibility as low as 20 meters and the treasonous mountain terrain still pose a threat – there is a very real chance of avalanches.
Earlier today a long range reconnaissance plane – Orion P3 – picked up a faint heat signal – but by the time the ground troops arrived there was nothing there to be found. Animals in the mountains have been known to give off heatsignals that can give these false positives.
But no stone is left unturned. The weather should be clearing up today and the search continues.
All we can do here in the lowlands is hope and pray for the best both for the missing crew and the brave troops out to find them.
Update 2000 zulu time – still missing up in the mountains
The Norwegian cargo airplane that went missing 1355 zulu time is still not found. According to the news at 2000 zulu time, the faint radio signal that should have been picked up by a Danish SAR EH-101 helicopter is not confirmed.
This cargo airplane is extremely sturdy. I have flown with the old C130. The plane missing is brand new. It has a Go-Around-Autopilot with Auto-Throttle, which enables the plane to take immediate control and climb if it inadvertently is steered towards the ground. That makes this all the more puzzling, and a heavy rotor turbulence associated with Lee Wave in between the mountains could maybe be an explanation, but this is a mere speculation for my part.
In any case, I hope and pray the crew has made it, but time is critical for survivors. It is freezing in the snowy winter mountains.
This man touched your life profoundly today – Born 150 years ago
Vilhelm Bjerknes - One of the most important scientists of modern times - 150 years anniversary
You may not think too much about it, but almost every item you are in contact with every day, practically every second is impacted by one very essential thing: weather… Think about it, industry transport goods over the oceans or through the air. Maintaining a major road takes planning and is dependent on good weather forecasts. What is an almost dead-certain part of any news broadcast where ever you are on the planet? Weather forecasts… And the man that invented the science that makes modern, scientific weather forecasts possible, was the Norwegian Vilhelm Bjerknes. Until he did it, nobody thought it would be possible to predict weather with any accuracy.
In a country where you can always start a conversation with a chat about the weather – Norway – (we have a lot of it here) we celebrate the 150 year birthday of this remarkable man who contributed so much to making your modern, everyday-life possible!
Vilhelm Bjerknes (14 March 1862 – 9 April 1951)
Downwind ENNK
Just wanted to throw in a few more shots from tonights flight. The first we are appr. 1,000 feet and downwind ENNK (Narvik Airport). In front port side Ankenes and Fagernes and the prominent mountain “The Sleeping Queen” in the background.
Downwnind ready to land on runway 01
Runway in sight port side - one more turn for final approach
One second from touchdown - ENNK - NVK - Narvik Airport
Stunning auroral activity!
Yesterday was a fantastic night! All one could hope and dream for! Often times the Earth’s magnetic field pushes so hard back against the Sun’s magnestic field, that the particle from solar bursts never enter the ionosphere to create this spectacle. But yesterday was – luckily – a day when the magnetic field lines let slip particles deep down into the ionosphere to create these breathtaking views. With the good help of my friend Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen, I managed to process the final details of my RAW photos to stand out like they are seen.
Enjoy!
Seen straight up!
SOPA / PIPA postponed indefinitely
The SOPA and PIPA law proposals are postponed indefinately! Which means the World’s Population – not the Entertainment Industry – still has the democratic control over the internet! (For now)
So in order to join in the free expression of the world this entire blog is free under a CC – Creative Commons License – with the following limitations:
Commercial Use: NO (right back at you, greedy entertainement industry) Not without my written permission.
Share alike/alter the work: Yes, you may alter and share my pictures, videos or texts from this blog, as long as you link back to the blog. But still, if for commercial use, you need my written permission.
This license applies to The Whole World!
Dette verk er lisensieret under en Creative Commons Navngivelse-Ikkekommersiell-DelPåSammeVilkår 3.0 Unported lisens.
I am so sorry…
- Do you prefer a safe Internet?
- Do you prefer a stable Internet?
- Do you prefer the old security of rights “Innocent until proven Guilty” to still be a golden rule in democratic societies?
- Do you support a free, prosperous Internet
- Do you oppose giving control over the World’s most significant tool for Prosperity and Freedom of Expression to the entertainment industry and dictatorius regimes?
Please, watch these film:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/defend_our_freedom_to_share_or_why_sopa_is_a_bad_idea.html
http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa
This has NOTHING to do with protecting artists’ Copyright! They are already protected through the law over most parts of the world – and I support the ones I like by buying their music and films.
This has EVERYTHING to do with giving the Entertainment Industry (and subsequently corrupt regimes) the TOTAL control over The Internet…
Still not convinced: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc
- If you are a US citizen, please, contact your congressman today and protest!
- Do you know a US citizen, please urge him/her to protest!
On 1/24 it could be too late… The clock is ticking…
Mt. Tøttatoppen 1,249 meters towering above the Rombak Fjord
Mt. Tøttatoppen 1,249 meters - below and a bit to the left - the Polytechnical College in Narvik and to the left the new Rica Hotel being built. In the foreground the red train garrages and workshops.
Surplus Water
Ofoten – along with huge parts of Northern-Norway and Western Norway – is a big producer of hydroelectric power. In Narvik there is a small hydroelectric power plant. The water comes from lakes at approximately 800 and 600 meters above sea level. The water is then first used to produce electric power. It is then – as a precautionary measurement UV-radiated, although it is extremely clean and then send out through pipes to supply the citizens with the approximately 200 liters per person used for daily consumption.
Although it has been I dry summer, it has rained enough the past few days to produce enough water for the lowest magazine to spill unused water into the Taraldsvik River.
This picture was taken last night with long exposure. Wondering what the weather is like by the power plant? Click here…
Surplus Water from the hydroelectric powerplant/municipal waterprocessing facility
Try landing on the Moon!
If you’re a history-buff, love space exploration like me and love flying – you’ll have to try this game!!! Moonlander by PlanetInAction.com I have only tried it in Google Chrome and it requires Google Earth plugin. If you’ve got the latest version of Google Earth and Chrome installed on your system, you have already got the plugin.
Steering the landing-craft of Apollo 11 – the first landing-craft to put man on the Moon – (at 02:39 UTC on Monday July 21 (10:39pm EDT, Sunday July 20), 1969) – is quite easy!
Use the left ← and right → arrow keys on your keyboard to control the pitch of The Eagle. Fire your engine in bursts by pressing the space-bar button on your keyboard. You can try a landing with unlimited fuel, but that is cheating ;o)
Keep an eye on the fuel gauge top right side, and keep the speed in the green area!
First you’ll need to break the orbital insertion velocity. Then pitch the craft upright when you’re over the (red) target landing area. Keep the speed in the green zone! Nice and smooth: touchdown! When you succeed, you’ll hear the actual recording from the landing from Mission Control Houston.
I prefer a full screen to get the most details.
Touchdown! Limited fuel-landing - smooth as a baby's bottom
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Northern Blog-O-Sphere 