Milky Way Tasmania

[awa1l]

Hey I've just been getting into my milky way photography and whenever I'm out of Sydney I jump at the chance to take some photos of the stars. I have just walked the Three Capes Track in Tasmania. I had my camera and tripod and made the most of the dark clear skies one night along the walk.

I was editing a couple of my photos and noticed that there was some light coming from the horizon, especially on the left side of the photo. I think I was facing about SW so I don't think there was anything much in that direction so I doubt it's lights from a town nearby.

Does anyone have any idea what the light source could be? I thought maybe it could be light due to the Aurora? Or something to do with a half moon? A bit of condensation may have been an issue in the vertical photo (definitely not the landscape shot) but I'm not sure?

Also would love some feedback on the photos in general!

Was shot using a Sony A7 with the Samyang 14mm @20 and 25s, f4.0 and 3200 iso.

Cheers

[el_draco (Rom)]

G'day,
The light is in the S.E. on your shot. Hobart would be N.W. so that's not your source and there is nothing but Southern Ocean to the S.E. from the 3C's. Moon would have been East I guess so it could have contributed if it was rising but the structure of the light suggests diffuse aurora.

[astroearth (Carl)]

This light may be the product of noctilucent clouds .

[blexxx1769 (Ian)]

Squid boats along the coast & Cloudy Bay most likely. I see & hear them from my place. Cheers, Ian.

[Tinderboxsky (Steve)]

Yes, that's my thought too. Their lights are extremely strong and the colour tone looks about right. Their light lume is quite distinctive even when well over the horizon.

Steve.

Originally Posted by blexxx1769

Squid boats along the coast & Cloudy Bay most likely. I see & hear them from my place. Cheers, Ian.

[skysurfer]

Originally Posted by astroearth

This light may be the product of noctilucent clouds .

No. Noctilucent clouds are only visible on higher latitudes (> 50 deg) in summer, not on 42 deg like TAS.
The light is just reflected moonlight where it is the brightest at the opposite part in the sky of the Moon which is the Sotheast as the Moon is in the Northwest these days in early evening.

Nice pictures btw !

[bigjoe (JOSEPH)]

Originally Posted by Tinderboxsky

Yes, that's my thought too. Their lights are extremely strong and the colour tone looks about right. Their light lume is quite distinctive even when well over the horizon.

Steve.

Hi Steve .
Fishin boats causing light pollution now ....Don't we have enough!

bigjoe.

[N1 (Mirko)]

I see a bit of green on my screen. Aurora or airglow I think, plus a bit of horizon brightening due to the Moon. Definitely no NLCs. Also too spread-out to be from a squid boat I reckon. You can check the Kp on the night here:

https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/archive

[awa1l]

Thanks for all the replies. It makes sense that the majority would be reflections from the moon as it was behind my right shoulder and bright enough to make a faint shadow. Also the ocean is only about a km behind the trees in the picture. Would that give the moon something to reflect off if it wasn't boats? The green hue especially in the left just made me wonder if it may have been aurora.

Thanks for all the help