The Northern Lights Flights

Latest flight dates -  February - March 2010 Flights 

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.

Note as an extra to the flights both Pete Lawrence and myself have produced two souvenir books for the flights which are independent from Omega Holidays:
Northern Lights -PL Nightscenes "The Northern Lights" by Pete Lawrence £6
"Nightscenes - the monthly night sky" by Paul Money £5
Click on either image for more information on the books.
If you have been on a flight and missed the chance to buy copies then for Pete's book go to his page and for my book go to my online shop
        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 he no longer join us and the main team has become Nigel, myself and Sky at Night regular contributor 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, Steve Ibbotson and Dave Cook.
         For 2010 we now have a 4th standby astronomer, my good friend and astronomy colleague Jayne Eames who now stands in when one of the main team are away, ill or simply can't make the flight and she takes on the role of the Roving Astronomer on the plane.

The Flight Team
Note that due to circumstances beyond their control not all the astronomers may be on any one flight but as a rule Pete, Nigel and Paul usually fly on most flights together. The Pre-flight presentation is often split between the three astronomers with Pete Lawrence usually doing the Sun/Aurora talk and Nigel and Paul covering the Night sky on alternating flights. On the actual flight Pete and Nigel normally give the commentary whilst Paul acts as the Roving Astronomer unless one of the main team is unavailable then Paul helps with the commentary and Jayne steps in as the Roving Astronomer.

Peter Truman Peter Truman, Omega Holidays and Northern Lights Flights Organiser
 Sylvia Sylvia, the Omega Tour Manager for the Flights who is on most but not all flights
The Astronomers
Nigel Bradbury Nigel Bradbury, Veteran Northern Lights Astronomer with over 100+ flights to his name.
Pete Lawrence Peter Lawrence, Sky at Night TV co -presenter and Sky at Night Magazine Contributor, World renowned Astrophotographer.

Paul Money Paul Money, Sky at Night Magazine Reviews Editor, Writer, Publisher and Lecturer.
 Jayne Eames Jayne Eames, Freelance Astronomer

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 Tour Manager often need to give out basic info on how to get to the airport (sometimes the talk is actually at the airport!). 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 or bright LCD screen 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 Moore 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/she 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 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 20 to 30 minutes viewing the Northern Lights depending on how far north we have had to travel to see the display. 


Dates & airports for the early 2010 flights*
* Provisional dates and airports - NOTE: Omega reserve the right to ammend/change or cancel any flight at short notice if circumstances warrant.

February - March 2010
February 5th Friday
 		Durham Tees Valley Airport
February 11th Thursday
 Bournmouth Airport
February 12th Friday
 London Gatwick
February 14th Sunday
 Cardiff Airport
February 15th Monday
 Bristol International Airport
February 16th Tuesday
 East Midlands Airport


March 7th Sunday
 Edinburgh Airport
March 8th Monday
 Glasgow Airport
March 9th Tuesday
 Liverpool Airport
March 12th Friday
 Exeter Airport
March 14th Sunday
 London Stansted Airport
March 15th Monday
 Birmingham International Airport
March 16th Tuesday
 		Doncaster Airport
March 17th Wednesday
 Leeds Bradford Airport




Note that Omega Holidays reserves the right to ammend/change or cancel the 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 or
www.omega-holidays.com

Please note that this page and the Solar Eclipse 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 2010