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Field Trip Week:
August 30 to September 7
Field Trip Week:
August 30 to September 7
Although we're not hosting a formal conference this year, we're excited to offer several engaging activities and presentations for you to join!
You're invited to book your own cabin, arrange transportation, and connect with our team and fellow visitors at your own pace. We'll gladly recommend interesting places to explore, but you're free to create your own schedule and adventures.
We warmly encourage you to sign up for the special events we've planned—your participation will make them even more memorable!
You can now sign up
for the first "event"
Meet & Eat
(scroll down on this page)
Note: More events will come soon...
Visit this page again for updates.
We need your help:
Do you have any instruments that we could deploy in the valley?
Can you help us to build or get equipment or funding to buy more cameras, sensors and computers?
Watch a documentary from last year's Field Trip and get inspired
Watch a documentary from last year's Field Trip and get inspired
View this documentation from ARTE.TV to get a feeling from the last field trip.
Do you want to join this year?
Pictures from documentary below:
Just show up!
Then sign up to activities you want to join.
Just show up!
Then sign up to activities you want to join.
When
When
From August 30 to September 7
The team will meet the first week of September
September is a good time for a Field Trip:
Not too cold, but starting to be darker.
If you want to help us and meet the team, this is the week!
If you want to travel to Hessdalen any time before or after - please tell us! Maybe we can connect you with other visitors - and maybe you want to get some handouts?
Where
Where
Hessdalen, Norway
The "easiest" is to travel via Trondheim.
The valley is some hours south.
Hessdalen is a small valley 2 hours south of Trondheim or 45 minutes north of Røros.
If you have never been to Norway, consider adding some days to your trip to visit both Trondheim and Røros!
How
How
By car, bus or train
Rent a car in Trondheim.
Then you can get around in Hessdalen
Email: visit@hessdalen.org
Mobile: +47 40 00 67 17
Use this email to find a cabin
- or check on airbnb.
Or you can email or call me to get some help:
Fred Pallesen +47 94086203
Grab Your Handouts, Maps, and Tutorials Here!
Grab Your Handouts, Maps, and Tutorials Here!
Program for the week
Program for the week
Note: this program is not set in stone! Beware that the Activity Signup forms are not ready!
Note: this program is not set in stone! Beware that the Activity Signup forms are not ready!
Aug. 29
Friday
Friday
Most of the team will arrive late on Friday.
Aug. 30
Saturday
Saturday
10:00
Meet & Eat at Kaffekråa ☕
Sign up (free event) to get the material we have prepared: some maps, guides and tutorials - and meet the team and the others that have joined this Field Trip Week.
Aug. 30
Sunday
Sunday
Sep. 1
Monday
Monday
10:00
Group Work 📍
We will meet to assembly of the equipment and plan the trip to deploy the equipment.
12:00
Guided Tour 📍
We start by the Information board and will drive to the Blue Box. You will get to see inside and get to hear about the history, the current situation and our plans.
We will then drive to Øyungen to park and walk up to the WhiteBox - and get a similar presentation.
Sep. 2
Tuesday
Tuesday
09:00
Group Deployment Day 📍
If you have signed up to help assembly the equipment then this is the day it should be carried out into the valley an onto the mountain tops.
17:00
Pizza & Perspective 📍
Come for the slices, stay for the insights!
We will all meet to eat and discuss, but you will also get some Inspiration Talk and Discovery Sessions.
Speakers: Erling, Rainer and Fred.
Sep. 3
Wednesday
Wednesday
10:00
Lunch & Learn at Hessdalen Seter 📍
Sign up (free event) to join us for a casual meetup and a chance to learn from our experiences so far.
This is also a great opportunity to ask questions about the maps, guides, and tutorials we handed out on Saturday — and decide how you want to spend the next few days.
Sep. 4
Thursday
Thursday
No activities planned for this day.
Sep. 5
Friday
Friday
You have the whole day for yourself.
19:00
Campfire Gathering 📍
Sign up for an evening of storytelling, shared experiences, and light discussions around the campfire.
We'll serve BBQ, with vegetarian options available, and you'll get the chance to meet some locals—many with fascinating UFO sightings and stories to tell.
Sep. 6
Saturday
Saturday
10:00
Wrap-Up & Eat-Up at Kaffekråa ☕
Join us as we say goodbye, gather any equipment from the week, and enjoy some time together.
We'll meet at the local coffee shop—perfect for relaxing, chatting, and tasting their delicious homemade cakes.
Some of the people you will meet:
Some of the people you will meet:
Erling P. Strand
Erling P. Strand
Team Member
Chairman of Project Hessdalen
Erling is one of the founders of Project Hessdalen in 1983.
Erling has set up and run the automatic station Blue Box in Hessdalen since its start in 1998. This task is now at Frank Gunnes Mikkelsen.
Rainer Haseitl
Rainer Haseitl
Team Member
Our Gadget Guru and Tech Wizard
If Rainer is not testing out new equipment he is checking out the pictures from the BlueBox.
He made the system creating Stacked Images and automatically uploading every day.
Join the Field Trip to discuss with our problem solver ;-)
Scott Deschaine
Scott Deschaine
Visitor during the Field Trip Week
Film maker
I would love to visit the Hessdalen Valley and possibly produce a documentary film about the phenomena, the people, the landscape, and your work, and to try to get good looks at the lights and their origins.
I promote and investigate the hypothesis that Earth's atmosphere is a habitat, and that many so-called UFOs may actually be creatures living there.
Goals for the Field Trip Week
Goals for the Field Trip Week
For the project
For the project
Install new cameras and sensors
Get help from attendees
to carry out and set up the new equipment
IN CABINS AND HOUSES:
Install rooftop stations
IN THE BLUE BOX:
Test sensors
Test scientific cameras
For attendees
For attendees
To join a field trip and hopefully see the Hessdalen light
To meet members of Project Hessdalen
and discuss the phenomena
To meet local people from the valley
and listen to their stories
Visit some of the places of famous observations
Visit the Blue Box
Visit some of the mountain tops
Objective
Objective
To develop a modern Anomaly Detection System (ADS) for Project Hessdalen by deploying compact, off-grid measurement stations with all-sky cameras and environmental sensors to detect and categorize anomalous events in real time.
Background
Background
Project Hessdalen has operated an ADS at the BlueBox in Hessdalen since 1998. In September 2024, the system was upgraded with two Enhanced Night Color 4K cameras. The next field trip in September 2025 will serve as a testing ground for new cameras and sensors.
Phase 1 (2025): Proof of Concept (PoC) Plan
Phase 1 (2025): Proof of Concept (PoC) Plan
The PoC aims to develop an effective ADS by deploying:
Mini BlueBox: A small, off-grid hub featuring a 24/7 streaming all-sky camera, environmental sensors, and a microcontroller for real-time anomaly detection.
Mobile MUPAS: A variant of the Mini BlueBox housing a MUPAS system for deployment on mountaintops with 4G/5G coverage.
Both units will transmit data to the cloud for storage, monitoring, and AI-assisted categorization.
Locations for new equipment
Locations for new equipment
These are the locations we would like to put out cameras that can record for at least 5 days - during the Field Trip:
We know that some of these locations are within the Forollhogna national park - and we need to get permission to put out the equipment. We'll find out!
Rogne.
About 45 minutes walk from the monument.Skarvan
About 30 minutes walk from ØyungenKåshøgda
About 30 minutes walk from YstengsbekkenMountaintop overlooking Forddalen
Maybe 1 hour walk and 1 1/2 hour driveMountaintop overlooking Ledalen
Maybe 3 hour walk and 1 hour driveIt was suggested to add one more location, in the middle - to cover all!
New Anomaly Detection Systems
New Anomaly Detection Systems
All systems, whether temporary or permanent, require
waterproofing, condensation management and temperature control.
Why not make permanent solution?
We initially planned to build small systems to record a five-day time-lapse of the sky during the field trip. However, since any system requires waterproofing, condensation management, and temperature control, why not design permanent stations that can remain on mountaintops year-round?
Instead of dismantling everything after just five days, we could invest in long-term solutions. While permanent stations would require additional equipment—such as solar panels, batteries, and a larger enclosure—they would eliminate the need for frequent redeployment. Although carrying the equipment up the mountains, securing it against wind and weather, and performing maintenance would be demanding, the effort could be justified by the long-term benefits.
The added weight of a permanent setup might require just two additional team members or an extra trip to transport everything. Given the advantages of continuous data collection, this could be a worthwhile trade-off.
Off-Grid Power & Internet Hub
Off-Grid Power & Internet Hub
We need different configurations for the ADS stations: they all need a solar panel and a battery and a 4G/5G internet router. Some need more power - some less. We need to calculate the energy needed - and build some Off-Grid communication boxes.
Off-Grid Mini Hub
Off-Grid Mini Hub
The Mini Hub should be able to work as a waterproof enclosure for a microcontroller with a number of sensors sending data over the internet
- or -
The Mini Hub should work as an enclosure for a MUPAS system that will work as a mobile system.
Off-Grid Core Hub
Off-Grid Core Hub
EcoFlow solar panel 110 W, IP67
3.290 NOK
We need to buy this near Hessdalen:
batteries can not be on an airplane!
We can buy this from
Clas Ohlson
in Trondheim
A IP67-rated solar panel can withstand rain, wind, and some snow on a mountain top.
This solar panel can withstands temperatures between -20 and 85 °C.
The solar panel produces 110W when sunny.
If the sun is available 10% of the time (2.4 hours per day),
the total energy generated per day is: 264Wh per day
Technical facts:
Dimensions folded: 514 x 420 x 24 mm.
Dimensions unfolded: 514 x 1580 x 24 mm.
Weight: 4 kg.
Power: 110 W.
EcoFlow River 3
3.190 NOK
We need to buy this near Hessdalen:
batteries can not be on an airplane!
We can buy this from
Clas Ohlson
in Trondheim
EcoFlow River 3
EcoFlow River 3
Robust and durable with IP54 – withstands harsh conditions, water and dust.
Technical facts:
Capacity: 245 Wh (19.2 V)
Charging methods: 230 V socket, 12 V car adapter, solar panel (up to 110 W)
Built-in solar controller
Dimensions: 255 x 212 x 113 mm
Weight: 3.5 kg
Outlets:
1 x AC (wall socket)
1 x USB-C (100W)
2 x USB-A
1 x 12V car charger (12.6V, 10A)
Goal: wildlife cameras
Goal: wildlife cameras
Goal: Mupas systems
Goal: Mupas systems
Make or buy?
Can we use MUPAS?
Can we use MUPAS?
Is the best way to get data to just find a system and deploy it - everywhere?
We do not have to create this!
With sensors for:
Microwave signals ranging from 700 MHz to 6 GHz
Gamma ray signals ranging from 0.05uSv/h to 10mSv/h at 0.01cpm to 300Kcpm (sensor available separately)
3-Axis MEMS Accelerometer +/-2g
3-Axis MEMS Magnetometer XYZ +/-1200 µT
3-Axis Gyroscope +/-250◦/S
Gravity vector sensor
Acoustic energy sensor 60dB gain
Humidity sensor +/- 3% accuracy
Barometric pressure sensor +/- 1 hPa accuracy
Temperature sensor +/- 1◦C accuracy
MOX sensor for hydrocarbon gas detection
GPS sensor -165 dBm sensitivity
Microwave Spectral Sensor (available separately)
MUPAS even have an online portal and a notification system.
Goal: Mobile Mupas systems
Goal: Mobile Mupas systems
How to get
Sensors all over the valley
Sensors all over the valley
Hidden in a "rock".
Is it possible to put sensors in a "rock" with solar panel - to work all year? (or close to)
How can we create this?
What sensors do we need:
Compass
Humidity
GPS
(what more?)
We would need help to
make this system
store the data
analyze the data
make an alert system
We could make this kind of "rock" ourselves, by using some boxes, chicken wire, concrete and creativity!
Goal: Test scientific cameras
Goal: Test scientific cameras
Downsides of current cameras: compression and dynamic range
We have and can get some scientific cameras - but we need to figure out how to build a waterproof enclosure and cable mount.
We need to attach the cameras to the mast and test the software for the cameras in the Blue Box.
We need to evaluate the best camera setting and create and test a trigger system.
Meeting minutes: from February 5th (public meeting)
Meeting minutes: from February 5th (public meeting)
The Field Trip Week 2025 will be
from August 30 (Saturday) until September 7 (Sunday).
This year, people must take responsibility for their own transportation to and from their accommodation and to the mountain hikes they choose to go on.
Unless you are volunteering for a specific task that requires your presence all week, people are welcome to come for just a weekend or a few days.
We will coordinate where and when we meet and where the different groups go and what they do - on discord
We are planning for cameras that can record a 360 view time lapse for 5 days (one image every three seconds) in a number of locations.
See "5 days time lapse" below for details.
We are planning for trail cameras / wildlife cameras along the river.
See "wildlife cameras" below for details.
We hope to test some Scientific Cameras ...
We should try to set up some Mupas systems in some cabin or houses (where there is power and internet)
See "Mupas systems" below for details.
We should try create a Mobile Mupas systems to be place out in the wild (with power from solar panels and batteries and a mobile internet connection)
See "Mobile Mupas systems" below for details.
Meeting minutes: from February 12th (internal meeting)
Meeting minutes: from February 12th (internal meeting)
We should prioritize equipment that could operate all year, not only during the Field Trip Week - because a lot of the work will be to create a weather proof casing with a power station (solar + battery) and internet connection.
Why not just set this as a goal.
Then we had a number of stations: rooftop / backpack / mountaintop - that we hope to build and test - before we get to the valley (at home) and then stress-test during the field trip.
This will be presented during the next Monthly Status Meeting ...
Meeting minutes: February 19th (monthly status meeting)
Meeting minutes: February 19th (monthly status meeting)
See the recording! and check the slides with notes.
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