Synchronous Firefly Event

Tuckerjr · Oct 19, 2015

Good Evening All,
If you are not from this area or have not visited in early June this event maybe foreign. Every year there is a specific type of firefly that put on the most spectacular display. This only happens in two places in the World. Great Smoky National Park & Southeast Asia. Here are a couple long exposure shots taken at this years event. I wish my D7000 would allow for much higher ISO so I could get more light without terrible noise.

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dannylightning · Oct 19, 2015

Thats cool

Tuckerjr · Oct 19, 2015

Danny it is one of the most amazing things to see in person

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tirediron · Oct 19, 2015

Wow.. that is amazing! I would love to see that.

SquarePeg · Oct 19, 2015

This is so cool. How long does it last? How do you time it and know when to go? Is it like the Cherry Blossoms in DC where it's a bit different every year?

Tuckerjr · Oct 20, 2015

The event lasts a week & it is put on by the Great Smoky National Park. I am not certain how they determine when the peak time is, but they seem to know. The display may start a week prior & continue a week or two after

k5MOW · Oct 20, 2015

Wow this is so cool. I have been there but not during that time of month.

Roger

baturn · Oct 20, 2015

Very cool. Would love to see it for myself someday.

annamaria · Oct 20, 2015

Wow that's so cool. Would love to see that display.

zombiesniper · Oct 20, 2015

I told you not to put that glow stick in the microwave!

Seriously that is a great sot.

sm4him · Oct 20, 2015

It is a VERY cool thing to see in person. I've not been in many years--ever since it became so popular that they started busing people in, and then doing the lottery every year to determine who even gets tickets.
You can also go and camp out in the area and walk in, which I would have done in years past and might do again someday, just to see it again--but the crowds really dampen my enthusiasm.

Your photos of it are quite nice, although it's simply not possible to really convey what the eyes actually see when all those lightning bugs light up and then go dark, together. Over and over again.

Tuckerjr · Oct 20, 2015

sm4him said:
It is a VERY cool thing to see in person. I've not been in many years--ever since it became so popular that they started busing people in, and then doing the lottery every year to determine who even gets tickets.
You can also go and camp out in the area and walk in, which I would have done in years past and might do again someday, just to see it again--but the crowds really dampen my enthusiasm.

Your photos of it are quite nice, although it's simply not possible to really convey what the eyes actually see when all those lightning bugs light up and then go dark, together. Over and over again.

You are correct the camera does not come close to doing it justice. Elkmont is not the only area in the Smokies this occurs. You can go multiple other places in the park to see it without crowds. Also the week after the event is spectacular & no people. I waited in line for a trolley for 3+hours this year. Never again !!!!!