Hi All.
I spent some time bayside Melbourne last night (Black Rock) having a nice pizza for dinner in the hope of seeing some aurora australis. Kp index was high and Bz pointing south were promising indicators. Couldn't see anything obvious to the south (even on camera's screen!), but there were some suggestions of flickering movements within the light polluted sky background.
However, I had a very pleasant surprise when I looked at the images on my computer this morning....my camera had recorded some red and violet colours and beams! Canon40D, 14mm lens at f/2.8, ISO800, 30secs.
This my first sighting of the aurora australis from the Melbourne area since 2005. Not spectacular, but a promise of better to come! Roll on solar max!
Three images are attached - the last is a time lapse of 4 individual frames showing the aurora, trailled stars and a fishing boat moving to a better? location. The small patch of light mid frame is the small Magellanic Cloud.
More pics are here:
http://www.russellsastronomy.com/aurora/11032011.htm
Cheers.
Russ