The Northern Lights Flights

The Northern Lights from the air

Latest flight dates - Now updated to include Autumn Flights for 2008/ early 2009  

The following page link shows some of the images I have managed to take during the flights so why not take a look and enjoy them. Further images taken by Pete Lawrence can be found on the Auroraflights web site. Other images of some flights are also available at Steve Ibbotson's site. Omega Holidays also operate several other excursions to experience the Arctic Circle and the Northern Lights plus trips to Lapland so check out my other pages.

        Since 1997 Omega Holidays, based at White Cross, Lancaster, have flown special flights for budding Astronomers, Stargazers and keen members of the general public. In 1997 the bright naked eye Comet Hale-Bopp was visible for several months above our night time skies and along with the renowned UK TV Astronomer Patrick Moore, flights were organized to view the Comet from above the clouds using commercial aircraft. Whilst people on the ground had to wait for a clear night, the flights got above the obscuring effects of our weather to give many people unforgettable and clear views of Hale-Bopp (images of Hale Bopp taken by me from the ground can be found in the comet section of my image Gallery).
        Naturally once the Comet was gone it was realized that great views could be had of the other wonders of the night time natural world, the Aurora Borealis - the Northern Lights and the stars of our Milky Way Galaxy. Thus over the years the principal Guest Astronomer on the flights was Patrick, ably assisted by several experienced amateur astronomers, especially Rod Tippet and more recently Nigel Bradbury of Chesterfield Astronomical Society. To date Nigel has been on 64 flights and has a success rate of 61/64 in observing Auroras on the flights. For awhile he was joined  by Chris Lintott - Astronomy expert who now co -presents Patrick's 'Sky at Night' programme. Late 2004 I (Paul) received an e-mail from Omega Holidays Northern Lights organizer, Peter Truman, inviting me to join the team on a regular basis based on the recommendations of Nigel whom I knew from my regular lectures to his local society. I joined Chris and Nigel at Newcastle Airport in December 2004 and we had a great flight with a pretty good display and I was hooked!  Chris has so many commitments now that he can only occasionally join us and the main team has become Nigel, myself and Sky at Night regular contributer Pete Lawrence.  When some of us can't make a flight other astronomers are enlisted to help out for that flight. They have included Prof Ian Morrison, Dr Jim Wilde, Dr Lucie Green and Mobile Planetarium astronomer Steve Ibbotson.

So what happens?
          People booked for a flight are given a pre-flight lecture by two of the guest astronomers. One of us gives a 30 minute talk on what can be seen in the night sky for the flight. Then the second Astronomer (usually me or Pete) give a 30 minute presentation explaining what an Aurora is, it's relationship to the Sun and how it is produced. We also try to give an estimate of the prospects for the flight and we always research several Internet sites that give us an idea of what we can expect. After this the Omega reps often need to give out basic info on how to get to the airport (sometimes the talk is actually at the airport!) and they are responsible for the basics of publicity in the local press relevant to the area nearest to the airports selected for the flights. They also organize the venue and travel arrangements. Once the talks are over we head off to the airport and get checked in ready for the flight. As a rule you need a form of photo ID or your passport for the booking in process. You MUST NOT have any sharp implement or large amounts of liquids on you as security is still tight and they will be confiscated at the security check in.
 
          Once airborne the cabin crew do their work. There is often a limited 'meal' (for want of a better word!) and once this is all cleared away then we ask for the cabin lights to be turned off - this is vital as it takes people at least 20 minutes to become 'dark adapted'. This enables you to view faint details at night - but one bright light can ruin your adaption thus we do our best to get as much of the cabin lighting turned off as possible. Unfortunately due to safety and air traffic considerations it is not always possible to turn off all lights but we can usually get it pretty dark. One of us then does a 'flash check' asking everyone with cameras to turn off the flash/LCD screen if that is possible with their make of camera - those camera's that do not have the option of turning them off  CANNOT be used as a single flash can ruin the experience for several rows on the plane and therefore can spoil the event for a large number of people sitting near the culprit.  After a countdown everyone 'takes a picture' and hopefully there is no flash and so everyone knows whether they can use their camera or not. It's a running joke originally from Patrick that anyone who has a flash go off during the main display is automatically thrown out of the aeroplane minus parachute! If the sun is having good sunspot and magnetic activity then we may well see the main Auroral band as the plane heads north and usually when we are at the approximate border of UK and Icelandic/Norwegian airspace the pilot (with the permission of air traffic control) puts the flight in a holding pattern (usually a race track path) enabling each side of the plane to view the Northern Lights. He will also ask permission to turn the nav and strobe lights off - but this is not always possible and is unfortunately beyond our control. 

        
            Because these flights do have to pay for themselves, all the seats on each flight are sold with the exception of the front couple of rows. These are reserved for Omega representatives and the two (sometimes 3) Astronomers - who naturally have to be able to view the display in order to inform the passengers of what is happening. Thus when you book a place on one of the flights you are NOT booking a particular seat but simply a place on that flight. However the book in procedure at the airport means that passengers will be allocated whatever seats are avaiable because that is the system! We therefore ask everyone to take it in turns to swap seats along each row to enable everyone to get a good view - this is simple common sense and is the fairest way of allowing everyone to get a good view. Where there are occasionally seats without a window then we will endeavour to rotate the passengers affected and it is a requirement that everyone helps us to help each other get a good view. Naturally as one side of the plane can see the Aurora then the other side is facing away so during the main part of the flight the two Astronomers take it in turns to describe over the intercom what each side of the plane can see at that time. Thus whilst one side is enjoying the Northern Lights the other is given a guided tour of the main highlights of the constellations visible. This also includes the occasional bright planet as well, such as Saturn and Jupiter or Mars. This means that the view is normally towards the North and South whilst viewing the aurora but then on the return leg of the journey the focus switches to what can be seen in the West and East. As a general guide the flights usually last for 3 hours which includes the journey up and back and approximately 1/2 to 3/4 hour viewing the Northern Lights. Very occasionally our Captian for a flight sometimes can order extra fuel to give us longer in the air but this is an exception rather than the rule.

A souvenir of the trip is available and in agreement with Omega Holidays it is currently my book on the years night sky - Nightscenes. If you missed your chance to buy a copy before the flight then go to my online shop to purchase one now :-)


The dates & airports for the Autumn 2008 and early 2009 flights are as follows*:
* Provisional dates and airports and talk venues - Omege reserve the right to ammend/change or cancel any flight.

October/November & December 2008
Date
 		Airport
 		Talk venue
October 26th Sunday  Liverpool John Lennon
 		Marriott Hotel, Speke
November 2nd Sunday
 		Norwich
 		Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport
November 23rd Sunday
 		Leeds/Bradford
 		Benton Park School, Leeds
November 24th Monday
 		East Midlands Airport
 		Comunnity College, Castle Donnington
November 25th Tuesday
 		Birmingham Airport
 		Windmill Hotel, Coventry
November 26th Wednesday
 		Bristol Airport
 		Media Centre, Bristol Airport
November 28th Friday
 		Gatwick
 		Sofitel Hotel, Gatwick Airport
November 30th Sunday
 		Newcastle
 		Brittannia Hotel, Newcastle Airport
December 1st Monday
 		Manchester Airport
 		Village Hotel, Cheadle

January 2009
January 25th Sunday
 Glasgow Airport
 Holiday Inn
January 27th Tuesday
 Doncaster - Robin Hood Airport
 Best Western, Mount Pleasant
January 28th Wednesday
 Cardiff Airport
 TBC
January 29th Thursday
 Exeter Airport
 TBC




Note that Omega Holidays reserves the right to ammend/change or cancel the above flight details if required.
The Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon and therefore there is no guarantee of a display - however we estimate there is a 70% to 80% chance of seeing something.
Cabin light intensity/all lighting is at the SOLE discretion of the Captain and Air Traffic Control.

For further details and how to book, contact Omega Holidays:
Omega Holidays, White Cross Lancaster LA1 4XQ
Telephone: 01524 37500 or for local rate calls 0845 330 1942
e-mail:   info@omega-holidays.com
WWW:    www.reader.travel

Please note that this page and the Solar Eclipse 2006 pages are NOT the official Northern Lights Omega Holidays web site but pages created by myself (Paul Money) as a way of helping promote the flights. All concerns regarding booking and flights are the responsibility of Omega Holidays and should be dealt with through them.

On March 29th 2006 a Total Solar Eclipse occurred and Omega Holidays organized a special 2 day trip to view this spectacular natural wonder - this page link is my page of basic details about the trip.
© Paul L Money 2008