AURORAL (including Noctilicent Clouds)

2013 March 31. Current solar activity would indicate the possibility of some displays of the merry dancers over the coming days. Short bursts of activity on the evening and night of March 31 made imaging Comet PanSTARRS (in the NNW at the time) something of a challenge. 

The sky looking NNW at 21h 25m from Rousay. Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 4 sec exposure D100 ISO1200. (Left click to enlarge.)

2012 November 20th: Auroral Glow. 

2012 November 20, 20h 31m UT. Looking due north from Springfield, Rousay. Nikkor 24mm f/2.8, ISO500. Exposure 8 sec. D100 SLR. Moon phase 53%, altitude 14 degrees.

Intensive Auroral Glow September 19th  2012

There was an extensive and intense auroal glow through the dark hours of October 8/9 with some rapidly developing rays.

 

Looking NW from Springfield, Rousay. A 10 sec exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8. D100 SLR ISO 500. October 08 at 20h 24m UT.

Extensive Auroral Activity September 19th  2012

An intense auroral glow was visible in twilight on the evening of 19th September. The glow separated into two arcs, one of which rose to an elevation above the northern horizon of over 60 arc-degrees and indicative of considerable activity within the northern auroral oval (region of constant auroral activity).

Looking N from Springfield, Rousay at 21h 15m UT. A 8 sec. exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8: D100 SLR ISO 500.  (Left click to enlarge.)

Looking NNW from Springfield, Rousay at 21h 19m UT. A 8 sec. exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8: D100 SLR ISO 500.  (Left click to enlarge.)

Looking N from Springfield, Rousay at 21h 21m UT. A 8 sec. exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8: D100 SLR ISO 500.  (Left click to enlarge.)

Looking NNE from Springfield, Rousay at 22h 52m UT. A 8 sec. exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8: D100 SLR ISO 500.  (Left click to enlarge.)

Looking NNE from Springfield, Rousay at 22h 53m UT. A 8 sec. exposure Nikkor 24mm f/2.8: D100 SLR ISO 500. Note: Constellation of Auriga on the right containing the bright star Capella, third brightest star in the northern hemisphere and the sixth brightest star in the entire sky.  (Left click to enlarge.)

 

Noctilicent Clouds: 2012 August 11.

2012 August 11, 22h 17m UT. Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 D100 SLR, ISO 400. 2 sec. exposure. Looking NNW from Springfield, Rousay. (Left click to enlarge.)

Noctilicent Clouds: 2012 July 31.

2012 July 31, 02h 18m UT. Looking NEE: Venus (low centre), Jupiter (upper right) with remnants of the noctilucent clouds. (Left click to enlarge.)

Noctilicent Clouds: 2012 July 24.

Noctilucent clouds looking NNW from Springfield, 2012 July 24 at 00h 16m UT. Nikkor 24mm f/2.8. A 1 sec. exposre: D100 SLR ISO 500. (Left click to enlarge.) Nb. Blurred foreground foliage due to wind.

2012 March 22/23.

Looking north from Springfield, Rousay, March 22 at 21h 13m UT. The bright star low down to the right is Vega, second brightest star in the northern hemisphere.

Features displayed were limited in the main to vertical bands rising to an altitude of around 30° above the northern horizon and large, intense auroral arcs. However, the red colouration in the bands and background were intense at times. (It should be noted that in visual light only a small sunspot has been visible over the past 48 hours  and activity in other areas of the spectrum have also been relatively low.)

2012 March 17.  General, low levle background actvity throughout dark hours morning and night.

2012 March 17 04h 27m UT. Looking North from Springfield, Rousay. The bright star to the left is Capella, third brightest star in the northern hemisphere. Constellation Perseus to the right with bright star Mirfak.

Auroral Actvity observer from Orkney 2012 Mach 1/2.

Looking north at 09h 40pm March 1st 2012. The bright star low down is Vega (second brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere) with Eltanin (gamma Draconis) above, the star used by the Astronomer Royal James Bradley to verify the phenomenon of the aberration of light (1725–1728).

THE GREAT AURORA OF JANUARY 25, 2012

Mike Curtis, currently working in Norway, has kindly sent a selection of his images of the aurora taken 21012 January 25. All mages are the strict copyright Mike Curtis, 2012, and are provided for website use only; they may not be copied to be sold on in any form.

ISO 800, 19mm, 36secs esposure. The bright star low down just above the hill is Arcturus, the brightest star in the northern hemisphere.

ISO 800, 19mm, 30secs exposure. The constellations of CVygnus and Lyra are to be seen to the left with thier brightest stars Deneb and Vega (the second brightest star in the northern hemiphere), respectively.

 ISO 800, 19mm, 30secs exposure. Comment as for caption above.

ISO 800, 20mm, 10secs exposure. Arcturus right, low down, with the tail of "The Plough" in vertical posture above.

The general data Mike has supplied is as follows:

All pictures taken using a Canon 5D, with Canon EF 17-40mm L lens at F4,bulb exposure mode. Velbon tripod with Giottos MH1312 ball head.  All
images taken on 25th January 2012, near Tromso, Norway, between
10:00-11:30 pm local time.

*****

2012 January 22, 19h 46m UT. Looking NNE from Springfield, Rousay. Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 8 sec. 100D SLR ISO 500.

A poor night for observing with frequent, blustery showers and dense cloud. Between the cloud one could see a double auroral banding but no indication of moving elements.

The activity lasted at least five hours with some indication as early (or late, according to your perspective!) as 05h the following morning, January 23.

Earlier, Comet Garradd had been imaged but against residual twilight and the auroral glow—far from ideal for imaging a relatively faint comet!

2011 Septemebr 26, 21h 20m UT. Bright star Capella, lower centre, with Perseus above and to the right.

This activity was anticipated following reports of solar flares associated with a sunspot group that is large enough to be seen with the unaided eye using appropriate filters to protect the eyes. (See solar page.)

2011 August 06, 01h 06m UT. Azimuth 290 (JCV)   2011 August 06, 01h 02m UT. Note: Pleiades cluster centre; planet Jupiter right.  Click on image for enlargment. Azimuth 70 (JCV) 2011 August 06, 01h 10m UT. Azimuth 50 (JCV)

 

2011 August 06, 01h 21m UT. Remnants of the "corona" . Note: constellation Cygnus to the right with bright star Deneb in the tail. Azimuth 190 (JCV)

2011 August 06, 00h 41m UT. The Plough and the northern auroral arc.  Click on image for enlargment. Azimuth 340 (JCV)

Data for 2011 August 06:

Camera: Nikon D70 digital SLR

24mm Nikkor lens Settings: f/2.8, ISO 500,

Exposure range 2 sec. to 4.0 sec.

 

Visit The Orcadian "Sky Notes Auroral Gallery" at: http://www.orcadian.co.uk/skynotes/aurora.htm

For information on photographic techniques for the aurora go to:

http://www.orcadian.co.uk/skynotes/archive70.html

 

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