Noctilucent clouds can appear high in the sky in the middle of winter, like in this image taken in August of 1981. The ridge on the lower part of the image is Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island. A closer look at these clouds, which are composed of ice that forms at extremely high altitudes around crystalization cores. Sometimes these clouds look like giant oilslicks across the sky. When traveling through such spectacular displays, it is hard to believe that this is in fact the planet Earth.
Snowmobiles are a convenient way to travel when it is calm - but also an extremely cold way.
Any skin not covered will freeze in a matter of seconds. When the temperature falls below minus sixty degrees, it is safer to travel in a cabbed tracked vehicle, than in snowmobiles. Windchill is frequently off the scale, below minus 100 degrees. Even though the cab is heated, this only brings the temperature in the cab up to minus forty degrees. Even though the austral spring can bring heavy storms, it is welcomed for the light that comes along.