BTW, Mark, what is the strange blue light in the corner of the images?
Hi Roman,
Its the Icelandic Peace Tower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_Peace_Tower It's a light polluting monstrosity that Yoko Ono had built in dedication to John Lennon. Here's a pickie I took >>>
Initially I thought it would make a nice 'frame' to my pictures, but rapidly got angry with it and moved it out of shot! It really is bright - you can see in the gif below where it hits the clouds it really is brighter than a full moon and casts shadows.
What is worrying in my mind is that i've heard that some of the more unscrupulous companies that do 'northern lights tours' in Iceland, if they are unsuccessful in finding aurora they show you the peace tower instead!!! I did one of these 'northern lights tours' once - never again! 6 coaches all pull up with their 300-400 passengers getting out, the majority of which who think the best way to capture an aurora is to use a flash - grrrr! Now, with use of a good map, i've found a spot tucked away in a small cove in the bay- walking distance from the hotel, where you are in the shadow of the cities lights and nobody bothers you, sat on a rock with a beer for company - Pure bliss!!!!