Swimming and Art

November 13, 2011

Part of our group of astronomers flew to the Westman Islands while others took a two hour walk on the glacier.  Others remained in Reykjavik, taking  a break at the large aquatic center with indoor and outdoor pools.  Here's where the locals gather daily to bathe, soak in hot pots up to 44 degrees Celsius.  Happy to chat with visitors, I met some lovely Icelanders.  


Near the Hotel Grand, the Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture garden affords a peaceful moment among his finest creations.

Reykjavik is a creative Mecca.  Sculpture, painting, jewelry and music.  The new Harpa Concert Hall is an artpiece itself.  

Hard to say good bye to Iceland when Mozart's Magic Flute is playing.

The CME hit but faintly.  We await the next hunt in February.

Iceland Group

Katherine Bates

Alex and Noelle Filippenko

Skogafoss Waterfall

South Shore & Eyjafjallajokull

Friday, November 11, 2011

After Dr. Alex Filippenko's lecture on sky phenominum, our day began with a double rainbow.  All day the honey-colored light sparkled the waterfalls near Seljalandsfoss.  The Skogar Folk Museum showed the finest and oldest collection of household items from Iceland's past.  We visited the turf houses and little church.  Every farm out in the countryside had it's own church, orginally Roman Catholic but later became Lutheran.  There is one Catholic church in Reykjavik.

Dr. Alex Filippenko

Setting out to South Shore

Our dinner topped it off with Icelandic lobster, while being serenaded by a local opera singer.


The highlight was stopping at the Thorvaldseyri farm, where Olafur Eggertsson's family had farmed for generations and had to evacuate in April 2010 when Eyjafjallajokull erupted.  The group saw a 20-minute film of the volcano's eruption and the family's endurance.  It was an example of Icelandic strength and recovery.

Farm under Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

Awaiting the result from an earlier CME, a thin, faint green border topped the low lying dark cloud was the result.

One more night to give that aurora an opportunity.

A day in the Icelandic country side

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Fantastic Day in Iceland's countryside.  The reindeer moss was soft and green against the black lava.  Sheep and horses grazing everywhere.   Our group of astronomers were greeted by a huge eruption of hot water upon arrival at the Geysers.  As we gathered with cameras poised, it erupted again.  Our lunch was bountiful beginning with hot soup in view of the geysers.  Later we walked on no-man's land between the America and Asia-European plates.  Stark black lava with colorful moss against the sky.   The group paused to stand at the old Viking, Alpinpi, where free men and women rode for two weeks on horseback each summer to form the present laws of the land, beginning in 928.  The power of their presence was felt.  The current Icelandic parliament building of black basalt was constructed in the heart of Reyjkavik in 1845.  The laws continue as originally bound.

Some attended a concert of Mahler's Nineth Symphony in the spectacular, new Harpa Concert Hall.

Later in search for the lights we found an open sky but no lights.

Reindeer Moss

Strokkur greeting

Weil der Stadt

Dave and Melita - Johannes Kepler statue in Weil der Stadt

Cecil and Tom at the fountain of Weil der Stadt town center.