Kevin Palmer

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  • In early August the aurora made an appearance and I was able to see it for the first time this year. The sun follows an 11 year cycle where the solar activity that causes the aurora (sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections) increases and decreases. As we head toward solar minimum predicted in 2019, the aurora will become increasingly rare in the mid-latitudes, but will continue to occur around the arctic. Last year I was able to witness the aurora 10 times, mostly from Illinois, but this year has been a lot different. This picture was taken from the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains above Dayton, Wyoming. It was a spot I scouted out in advance and knew it had a good view north. While I was taking pictures, a sharp gust of wind came up over the ridge. I held on to my tripod, but the wind blew my camping chair down the side of the mountain.
    Dayton Aurora
  • Even after driving up Highway 14 dozens of times, I almost always stop at this scenic overlook. It’s where the Bighorn Mountains meet the endless plains stretching across eastern Wyoming and Montana. The towns of Dayton, Ranchester, and Sheridan are seen thousands of feet below and it’s a popular spot for launching hang gliders. For years I’ve wanted to capture a good lightning storm from here. But it required just the right storm, one that comes in from the northwest in a path parallel to the mountains. It needed to be close enough to light up the valley, but far enough to stay out of danger and out of most of the rain. It also needed to be predictable, so I could get there in time. At 10PM sheets of rain began to envelop the ridges to the north one by one. Then this brilliant flash illuminated the foothills and switchbacks just before the lights of Dayton disappeared into the downpour. I’ve always loved the challenge of capturing something that lasts a fraction of a second and preserving it in a picture.
    Electric Rain
  • It’s a beautiful time of year around here. Every day the hills get a little greener and the snowline in the mountains climbs a little higher. Last week I hiked to the top of this hill near Dayton to watch the sunset. From here the northern end of the Bighorn Mountains can be seen stretching into Montana. Just as the sky was at it’s most colorful I started hearing the sound of hooves pounding the dirt in the distance. The sound got closer until one cow after another came running down the hillside on the other side of the fence. This continued for several minutes as I soon lost count. At the end was a cowboy on an ATV with his dog chasing the last few members of the herd. It was loud, dusty, and smelly, but fun to watch. I had no idea a cattle drive was going to happen, but don’t think I could have planned it better if I tried. It was probably the Wyomingest sunset I’ve ever seen.
    Cattle Drive Sunset
  • A lenticular cloud hangs above the rising full moon during twilight. It was an extremely windy evening at the Sand Turn Overlook above Dayton.
    Hovering Above the Moon
  • The light of sunrise illuminates one of the first snowfalls of the season in the Bighorn Mountains near Dayton. The switchbacks of Highway 14 can be seen in the valley.
    Fog and Switchbacks
  • This was the first major snowfall of the season in northern Wyoming. Up to 12" fell in the valleys, with more in the higher elevations. I went to take pictures at one of my favorite places to hike, Tongue River Canyon. This deep canyon ascends into the northern Big Horn Mountains west of Dayton. The canyon looked stunning with snow clinging to the sheer cliffs and trees, and the river gurgling below. Above the walls are found interesting geological features likes arches, spires, and caves, one of which has over a mile of passages. I wasn't sure if I would be able to make it up the narrow gravel road which was unplowed, but it wasn't a problem with 4WD. Last time I was here I spotted a black bear running up the road, but I'm sure most of them are in hibernation by now.
    Snowy November Sunset
  • Steamboat Point is located in the Bighorn Mountains west of Dayton and there is a trail that leads to the top.
    Up to Steamboat
  • The light of sunrise illuminates one of the first snowfalls of the season in the Bighorn Mountains near Dayton.
    Frosted Slopes
  • The Tongue River was flowing quite a bit in early June. This was the view in the morning from my campsite while backpacking in Tongue River Canyon.
    Rapid Morning
  • There’s perhaps no better way to practice social distancing and clear your head than to spend some time under the stars. The idea for this picture came months ago: to capture Orion setting over this jumble of giant boulders called the Fallen City. After doing the math and simulating the view, I determined exactly where to put my tripod and when to make it happen. But one problem is this is a very windy spot in the Bighorn Mountains. My attempt in February was foiled by the wind and I could not get any clear images. But March brought another chance with calmer weather. A fresh snowfall topped with rime ice made the forest glow in the starlight.<br />
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The Orion Nebula is the brightest in Earth’s sky. It can be seen with the naked eye from dark skies and looks spectacular in a telescope. Also visible next to Orion’s Belt are the Flame Nebula and Horsehead Nebula. To get this picture first I took a series of images of the sky with my camera on a star-tracking mount. Once the nebula set, I turned the tracking off and took a longer exposure of the foreground.
    Orion and Fallen City
  • Pillars of Red
  • The last sunlight of the evening shines on the cliffs north of Steamboat Point in the Bighorn Mountains.
    North of Steamboat
  • When I reached this overlook in the Bighorn Mountains, one thunderstorm was moving off to the east, while another approached from the north. This is the eastern storm, dumping rain over the lights of Sheridan.
    Raining On Sheridan
  • Up until the lunar eclipse started, I still wasn't sure I would be able to see it. In between an overcast day and an incoming snowstorm, weather models were showing a brief clearing. The clouds parted not a moment too soon. Compared to the last recent eclipse, the moon was a lot higher in the sky at 50°, which made it more challenging to shoot with a foreground. I needed to find something tall, where I could set up my camera underneath and point it southeast. The Needle's Eye is a natural arch that stands at the entrance to Tongue River Canyon in the Bighorn Mountains. I knew I wouldn't be able to fit the moon inside the arch, but just above it. This is a wider shot to include more of the canyon walls.
    Red Moon and Arch
  • There were plenty of wildflowers blooming in the upper reaches of Tongue River Canyon.
    Lupine Cliffs
  • After staying up all night I watched the sunrise from Sand Turn Overlook in the Bighorn Mountains on this windy morning.
    Sliver of Sunrise
  • Fresh snow at Tongue River Canyon reflects the deep blue twilight sky as day turns to night.
    Arch at Twilight
  • I always feel a a sense of urgency this time of year to capture the fall colors before they're gone. Tongue River Canyon is always a great place to hike, and one of the closest trails to where I live. It was extra beautiful on this warm October afternoon. A patch of sunlight came out for just a minute.
    Overcast Sun
  • Pasqueflowers are one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in the Rockies. There were a lot of them pushing up through the grass in Tongue River Canyon.
    Early Bloomers
  • Up until the lunar eclipse started, I still wasn't sure I would be able to see it. In between an overcast day and an incoming snowstorm, weather models were showing a brief clearing. The clouds parted not a moment too soon. Compared to the last recent eclipse, the moon was a lot higher in the sky at 50°, which made it more challenging to shoot with a foreground. I needed to find something tall, where I could set up my camera underneath and point it southeast. The Needle's Eye is a natural arch that stands at the entrance to Tongue River Canyon in the Bighorn Mountains. I knew I wouldn't be able to fit the moon inside the arch, but just above it. The scattered clouds which remained made a red halo around the eclipsed moon. Closer to the arch is a cluster of stars known as The Beehive.
    Threading the Needle
  • I caught this lucky meteor falling through the aurora at 1:30AM. The northern lights were so dim that I could barely notice them with my eyes, but the camera picked up more of the colors.
    Pillars and Meteor
  • The aurora borealis caused red and green pillars to fill the northern sky above the Bighorn Mountains.
    Christmas Colored Sky
  • I've been to Tongue River Canyon many times, but have never shot this particular view before. The cottonwood trees were very colorful on this warm but cloudy October day.
    October at Tongue River Canyon
  • Steamboat Point is one of my favorite mountains that I've climbed multiple times. This time I walked around in the snow trying to find a different perspective on it.  I was too late to capture the sunlight on top of the peak so I had to photograph the cool blue colors of twilight instead.
    Steamboat Point Twilight
  • On October 21st, Northern Wyoming received it's first snowfall of the season that made it down to the valleys. After the storm cleared out overnight, the temperature plummeted. It was about 10°F up here at 6500 feet in the Bighorn Mountains. I made it to one of my favorite views, the Sand Turn Overlook just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. I was glad to find this tree still showing it's fall foliage, illustrating the clash of two seasons.
    Winter in October
  • Tongue Riverbank
  • I came across this female sage grouse in the Bighorn Mountains while it was raining. This species of bird is nearly endangered and this wasn't the type of environment they’re normally found in.
    Wet Sage Grouse
  • Steamboat Point is a favorite mountain of mine that I've climbed more than any other. But I've never been able to catch a great sunset from the top, until now. The 7,877' peak is close to Sheridan and easy to access year round. On the lower south-facing slope the snow is quick to melt. After the trail bends around into the forest, the snowpack is often a couple feet deep in the winter. But the summit itself is usually scoured clean by the frequent strong winds. I'd estimate winds were gusting to about 80mph up here, making it difficult to stand up straight. But it was these same winds that contributed to the fiery sunset. On warm winter or early spring days it's common to get lenticular or mountain wave clouds over the Rockies. They are caused by oscillations in the air flow after encountering a mountain range. When the sun catches them just right, the color and texture of these clouds can be truly stunning.
    First Sunset of February
  • It was a beautiful wintry night in the Bighorn Mountains. Most of the snow from the previous day had fallen off the trees after a sunny day. But since this part of the forest remained in the shade, it was still looking like a winter wonderland in the moonlight.
    Snowy Pine Moonlight
  • Last week this spectacular sunrise filled the eastern sky as seen from an overlook in the Bighorn Mountains. Even before the sun made it over the horizon, a pillar of light was shining above the sun, appearing like a flame. While sun pillars aren't that uncommon, it is rare for them to be as tall as this one. This optical phenomenon is caused by the collective glint of millions of flat hexagonal ice crystals slowly falling through the air. When they are aligned just right at sunrise or sunset, it forms a light pillar. Pillars can form above other bright light sources as well such as the moon and even streetlights when the air is cold enough.
    Sun Pillar Dawn
  • After the sun set, the cliff face of Steamboat Point above continued to soak in the golden sunlight for a few more minutes.
    Sunlight Ascending
  • From comets, to lightning, northern lights, and meteors, I've amassed a collection of photos of one of my favorite local mountains at night. But I lacked a moonshot. The 7,877 foot peak named Steamboat Point is topped with dramatic cliffs of dolomite. You can't tell from this distance but the boulders below the cliff face are bigger than houses. Because of the position of the viewpoints, a full moon can only be seen rising over the mountain in the winter months. Unlike the sun, a full moon rises north of due east in the winter. In January it is called the Wolf Moon. While wolves do not currently live in the Bighorn Mountains, they have been seen before. The snow conditions at this elevation were highly variable with lots of bare ground as well as big snow drifts. After lining up my shot the moon failed to appear on time because a cloud hid the horizon. But after waiting and repositioning at the last minute, the moon briefly passed through a small gap in the clouds.
    Steamboat Moonrise
  • Anyone who has tried chasing the aurora is familiar with disappointment. Especially in mid-latitudes, there can be months in a row with little to no activity. And when the sun does get more active, sometimes it feels like everything is working against you. Unpredictability is high. The timing is all wrong when the geomagnetic storm happens during the day, or on the cloudiest night of the week, or when the moon is so bright you can’t see it. But if you keep going out and watching, eventually you’ll catch a view like this. Last night I went up to an overlook in the Bighorn Mountains. For the first couple hours the aurora glowed but lacked any movement. Then at 10PM, a substorm broke out into these colorful pillars moving from right to left. Just half an hour later the moon was up and the show was over. Aurora activity will continue to increase as we head towards solar maximum.
    Highway 14 Aurora
  • Steamboat Point is a favorite mountain of mine that I've climbed more than any other. But I've never been able to catch a great sunset from the top, until now. The 7,877' peak is close to Sheridan and easy to access year round. On the lower south-facing slope the snow is quick to melt. After the trail bends around into the forest, the snowpack is often a couple feet deep in the winter. But the summit itself is usually scoured clean by the frequent strong winds. I'd estimate winds were gusting to about 80mph up here, making it difficult to stand up straight. But it was these same winds that contributed to the fiery sunset. On warm winter or early spring days it's common to get lenticular or mountain wave clouds over the Rockies. They are caused by oscillations in the air flow after encountering a mountain range. When the sun catches them just right, the color and texture of these clouds can be truly stunning.
    Vertigo Inducing Sunset
  • I see so many deer around here that I rarely stop and photograph them. But the evening light was so perfect that I had to stop. They were standing on a grassy ridge with the Bighorn Mountains in the background.
    5 Deer On a Hillside
  • Evening sunlight shines on Steamboat Point as seen from a couple miles away.
    Evening Light on Steamboat
  • I liked the way Tongue River was reflecting the golden cliffs above. This canyon is always tricky to shoot because the sunlight disappears much sooner than I expect.
    A River Runs Through It
  • Golden cottonwood trees line the bottom of a canyon in the Bighorn Mountains seen after an early season snowfall.
    White Yellow and Green
  • It was a beautiful day to be in the Bighorn Mountains. Fresh snow had fallen the night before and the clouds cleared out before daybreak leaving sunny blue skies. This was the view from the Sand Turn Overlook.
    Bluebird Day
  • Crepuscular rays emerge from a cloud as the sun sets beyond Tongue River Canyon. This was the view from the top of Steamboat Point.
    Tongue Canyon Sunbeams
  • While on the summit of the 9,500 feet high Black Mountain, I watched this thunderstorm recede into the distance.
    Black Mountain View
  • The Needle's Eye or Keyhole Arch stands above the entrance to Tongue River Canyon. The thin lingering clouds behind it lit up with a soft pink glow after sunset.
    Needle's Eye Sunset
  • The crescent moon glowed brighter after the sun set. By walking up the canyon a bit I was able to line it up behind this cliff.
    Crescent Cliff
  • Clouds swirl around the Bighorn Mountains near Sand Turn Overlook after a late season snowfall.
    Shrouded Peaks
  • Most of the snow had melted in Tongue River Canyon, but some ice remained near the riverbanks. After the sun set, I setup my tripod on the edge of the ice to try a long exposure.
    Tongue River Ice
  • After coming around a bend in the trail in Tongue River Canyon, the Keyhole Arch came into view with some colorful clouds behind it.
    Keyhole Arch Sunset
  • It was 1AM and the stars were twinkling wildly above the Bighorn Mountains. Twinkling (also known as scintillation) is caused by the earth's atmosphere bending or refracting starlight. Planets do not twinkle because they are not a pinpoint source of light. The effect is most noticeable on nights with strong winds and differing air temperatures in the upper atmosphere. The wind chill on this night at 7,000 feet was far below zero Fahrenheit. In the center of the photo is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It is visible from anywhere on earth except for the very northern Arctic. Sirius is known for twinkling a rainbow of colors when it first rises. On the upper right is the constellation Orion with the bright band of the winter milky way to the left.
    Sirius-ly Cold
  • It was a frigid night in the Bighorn Mountains with gusty winds sending the wind chill far below zero. This view is looking northwest from near Steamboat Point.
    11:22 PM
  • Steamboat Point is barely visible as clouds swirl around the summit.
    Hidden Summit
  • I wasn't even planning on hiking Tongue River Canyon this day. But once I saw the snow line just a few hundred feet above the river, I was drawn right in. The weather was harsh, alternating between sleet and a fine mist that gets in everything. But the low clouds swirling around the peaks added drama.
    Fall Storm in the Canyon
  • Massive boulders lay at the base of Steamboat Point in the Bighorn Mountains. Some of these are the size of houses.
    Among the Fallen
  • The warm sunlit cliffs of Tongue River Canyon contrasted with the cold river ice. It was a beautiful afternoon for a hike.
    Reflected Gold
  • The warm sunlit cliffs of Tongue River Canyon contrasted with the cold river ice. It was a beautiful afternoon for a hike.
    Path to Sunlight
  • I wouldn't normally set my tripod up in the middle of a steep and slick mountain highway. But at this time of night there was no traffic at all.
    December Night Drive
  • The milky way galaxy is reflected in the calm waters of Sibley Lake. Here in the Bighorn Mountains there wasn't even a hint of light pollution and the stars were very clear.
    Sibley Lake Milky Way