October and November of this year have been amazing months for sky watchers. Exploding solar flares, giant sunspots, and days in a row of the Northern Lights. Once again, an X class flare hurtled charged particles toward the Earth, and the resulting pink and red glows in the north have been recorded on film seen here. As usual, I have rotated the camera 180 degrees to try to get as much sky away from the north as possible to see the auroras edge. This display was so expansive, that it covers nearly the entire frame! The Kp index varied from 6.5 to over 8 for these images, proving once again, you don't have to live in Alaska to see a fine Auroral display.

In the first image, the display is just starting up, early in the morning. The sky is almost its normal neutral hue. Images are in chronological order.

Instrument:  28mm f/2.8 Albinar Lens on Pentax K1000
Platform:  Tripod
Film:  Kodak PJ 400
Exposure:   8-10 mins
Filters:  NONE
Location:  Payson, Arizona
Elevation:  5150 ft.
Sky:  Seeing 8/10, Transparency 8/10
Outside Temperature:  5 C
Processing: Photoshop

HOME  SCHMIDT  GALAXIES     EMISSION NEBS     REFLECTION NEBS   COMETS     GLOBULARS     OPEN CLUST     PLANETARIES     LINKS