Antarctica 2016

Ski equipped Hercules LC-130 20160217-_JDS2538

Arrived for Winter 2016 20160219-_JDS2598-2

Behind Vince's Cross is the Ross Sea in open water state with the ship Spirit of Enderby. 20160222-_JDS2605-2

Two Adélie penguin's strolling through McMurdo Station. 20160227-_JDS2807

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Weddell Seal 20160228-_JDS3065

I think interpretations of this image from those that have experienced Skua and those who have not to be very different. Hut Point home to Robert F Scott's Discovery Hut part of their 1901-1904 Discovery expedition. Believe the hut has been in place since 1902. 20160302-_JDS3188

Weddell Seals among the pressure ridges of the ice shelf pushing into Ross Island. At present is where the ice shelf meets the open water soon to be sea ice. 20160307-_JDS3255-3

I recall this being a cold windy day. Like many views here in Antarctica, embrace the harsh elements to enjoy the rare beautiful views. This is Hut Point of Ross Island Antarctica, home to Vince's Cross and Discovery Hut. The point surrounded by open water and a setting sun. 20160320-_JDS0165

Not all Kiwi's are flightless, despite the local rumors. Here is New Zealand's Kiwi Air-force 757 at the now retired Pegasus airfield. 20160322-_JDS3363

Setting sun and pancake ice, winter 2016 is near. 20160324-_JDS0185

Weddell Seal 20160324-_JDS3450-2

Science, support of such is why people are here. Maybe for acronyms too, A.W.A.R.E project (ARM West Antarctic Radiation Experiment) A.R.M (Atmospheric Radiation Measurment). This was in place for 2016 only. 20160407-_JDS3669PSD

Mount Erebus the southern most active volcano. 20160408-_JDS3726-HDR

"Skier" stands roughly 7ft tall if memory serves, artist who made it I believe is William Taliaferro. 20160417-_JDS3828-PanoPS7-3

Starting to get into focus stacking astro-landscapes. Can see the edges of a being constructed ice pier in the frozen winter quarters bay with the Milky Way above. 20160508-_JDS3901-PanoPS5

Castle Rock a feature of Ross Island Antarctica. I think this was the last time I was out with a group doing photography. I recall it was a colder day and I of course was grabbing exposures for this image. This is a focus stacked panoramic. Being a fair distance from any light source it is a very dark location and I was doing 4.5 minute exposures for the landscape portion. Needless to say everyone was waiting on me to finish up. The light appearing to be from behind Castle Rock is the light polution of McMurdo station in the fog. 20160604-_JDS3930PSpano4-2

McMurdo Magic I call this one. Doing a winter here can feel pretty constrained, like living in a snow globe and I feel this image conveys that pretty well. I took on the challenge of dealing with the light pollution of McMurdo station. 20160607-_JDS3973-HDR-Pano

C-17 at Pegasus airfield June 8th 2016. 20160608-_JDS4020

Moon Dog or scientifically called paraselene. 20160622-_JDS4060-2

Vince's Cross, in the back ground can see the lights of Pegasus airfield on the right and the work site of the now used Phoenix airfield. 20160628-_JDS4107-Pano PS 2-3

Going to Antarctica is a rare experience over all, going to Black Island in the winter very few have experienced. This place is known for it's wind and on this trip we had some 140 knot wind speeds experienced while out there, But for this image there was no wind as you can see no movement in the wind turbine blades for the 4 minute landscape exposures. One of them 4 minute exposures even captured the meteorite by the dome. This is a focus stacked image and the sky was captured focus on a star and much shorter exposures of 8 seconds to avoid star trails, Aurora Australis giving a show as well. 20160709-_JDS4173-Pano Temp 2-3

July 9th, Black Island under the fog conceled Milky Way above. To the left in the distance McMurdo Station, Scott Base, Phoenix airfield construction and Pegasus airfield lighting. 20160712-_JDS4208-Pano

Sign marking the start of the Castle Rock loop trail. Marking 3 miles to Castle Rock and 7 miles to complete the loop. Milky Way with Aurora Australis in the night sky. 20160728-_JDS4431-Pano 35k-4

I believe this was taken from Pegasus Airfield. McMurdo station lighting marking it's location in the silhouette of Mount Erebus the southern most active Volcano. 20160730-_JDS4453

I believe this is the fire fighters Crash Shack at Pegasus Airfield, silhouette of Erebus in the background. 20160730-_JDS4466-HDR

Nasa Dome used to track Satellites I believe surounded by Aurora Australis in the sky among the Milky Way. 20160804-_JDS4521-Pano PS

Common view on the return drive from Pegasus Airfield. On the ice shelf road heading toward Ross Island. 20160927-_JDS4924

Cockpit of a C-17 on the way to fresh food and beer, a beautiful thing after doing a winter in Antarctica. 20161006-_JDS4939-4

Antarctica 2016

Joshua Swanson

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