The time had arrived and the conditions were perfect, give or take for the overcast overhead.  But I went out and did an all nighter anyway.  I got myself away from the city lights.  I had the choice of Sherman Reservoir or Plainfield Pond.  I chose Plainfield Pond because the cloud cover was much thicker at Sherman Reservoir at the time.  3-4 hours before sunset, the geomagnetic storm was already in progress.  I arrived at my destination.  The sun had set, but there was still plenty of light to set up my gear.  I recorded a few test shots and all was well.  Then it happened.  A northwest wind aloft ushered in a bank of stubborn low level clouds.    Not ideal conditions to try to photograph auroras, but I thought I would give it a go anyway. On the upside, the aurora had an interesting effect on the clouds,  It almost reminded me a little of a sun rise or sunset in the wrong direction.  Disorienting; but cool.  I decided to attempt to make art and use the headlamps from the passing automobiles to create a light painting effect.  Meh.  The geomagnetic activity peaked out around KP 8.67.  At this time I noticed the sky overhead and due south cleared out, but the persistent overcast remained to the north.  Just for fun I pointed the camera South, then Southeast, then Southwest.  the storm was powerful enough that it had sent the aurora south of my vantage point.

Above:  Camera pointed to a clearing southeast away from the cloud bank while the auroras were at their peak.

A very windy and moody evening at Plainfield Pond