The Light Fantastic

[OzEclipse]

After successfully observing the May 11, Gannon event this year, I thought my aurora mojo was done. This morning, I caught my 5th aurora. Here are stills and time-lapse video from this mornings wonderful G4 aurora.

A big thank you to my friend David(Prickly) for the wake-up call at 4am otherwise I would have slept through this one. I set an alarm for 230am when it was predicted to arrive, saw nothing, then went back to sleep. David and I had arranged to call each other if we saw anything. He rang me at about 3:45 am.

Here is the video: -

https://player.vimeo.com/video/1018477691?h=fc99bbd4df

All still images taken prior to astronomical twilight have same EXIF :
Pentax K1 ISO 1600, 10s
Pentax HD FA 28-105 @ 34mm f4

During transition to twilight:
Pentax K1 ISO 1600, Av mode
Pentax HD FA 28-105 @ 34mm f4

The occasional light glow is a truck driving up the highway 3 km away driving through the fog that sits down in the valley. My property sits up clear of most fogs. After rain when my soil is saturated, I can get a fog on my property.

cheers

Joe

[N1]

Great images Joe! Glad you caught it. It was getting too light here before the full extent could be seen.

[OzEclipse]

Mirko,

Sorry to hear that. I also heard that from Denis Goodman.

Joe

[joshman]

Great Captures Joe!, I managed to just catch a glimpse on my allsky cam. It must've been a powerful CME, given how long it was visible into the dawn twilight.

[OzEclipse]

Thanks Josh.
It's still going now at midday. Magnetometer readings are even higher now that they were this morning.

[joshman]

I'm not familiar with interpreting the graphs and whatnot, but the spaceweatherlive page is completely covered in Aurora notifications, and my rudimentary understanding of the graphs, indicate that it is just getting stronger?
If this holds, we might be in for a show right on dusk.

[peter_4059]

Great shots Joe. Looks like the weather was favourable for you.

[Leo.G]

They look amazing as usual Joe!
A friend texted me this morning and said he saw a slight red glow at 4AM up at his mountain house near the Zig Zag railway (beautiful views in every direction, he's at one of the highest points in the mountains). I've been trying to explain how he could use some aluminium C channel screwed to a timber block set on something in his yard and get some shots with his iPhone. He's an engineer, he'll probably machine an alloy phone holder to sit in a post knowing him.

[AstralTraveller]

Great shots again Joe. One thing, that power pole is very distracting, any chance of chopping it down?? :D

[OzEclipse]

Hi David,

It's steel reinforced concrete. :lol::lol:

I have considered going out in one of the nearby paddocks to reduce the power pole's level of intrusion. But the convenience of having deck chairs on the deck, arm chairs and fireplace 8m away and my espresso machine 15m away is hard to resist.

Joe

[gregbradley]

Great work Joe.

Where do you find out the predicted arrival of an aurora? I've been out twice now to catch one and both times there was nothing.

Greg.