Aurora time lapse

[dragonblade71]

I managed to capture The Southern Lights (Aurora Australis) on 2 January this year on Kangaroo Island in Australia. This geomagnetic storm was so intense that it was visible on the north coast of the island. Usually, you would have a better chance of seeing the Southern Lights on the south coast. Unfortunately, at one point, a large dark cloud came along and covered the whole aurora.

 

[viper69]

Way cool!

are they typically red down there?

 

[dragonblade71]

Oh yea, you tend to see a lot of red and pink in the Southern Lights. And occasionally a little bit of green too. When I see aurora photos taken in Tasmania, I see lots of pink and green.

I believe you can tell which gases are present (and the composition of the atmosphere) based on the colours of the aurora. According to the website below - when solar particles interact with oxygen at very high altitudes, you get red. And interestingly, when solar particles mix with nitrogen at lower altitudes, you get blue and purple auroras (which are very rare.)

Aurora colors: What causes them and why do they vary?

Auroras can appear green, pink, dark red, blue, purple and even yellow! But why?

www.space.com

I thought I recall seeing orange in the aurora I captured last year.

 

[dragonblade71]

This is the first photo I took of the aurora shortly after I arrived and set up. I started the time lapse a bit later.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Wow spectacular thanks for sharing!!!

 

[dragonblade71]

Wow spectacular thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks! I forgot to mention that it was after 2.00am when I headed out there. When I got back home, it was more or less dawn.

 

[Spifdar]

That's amazing! Congrats, these can be a real pain to capture. I've only seen it red like this once and they are STUNNING!

 

[dragonblade71]

That's amazing! Congrats, these can be a real pain to capture. I've only seen it red like this once and they are STUNNING!

I think the main pain was that huge, dark cloud that came in and covered the aurora. Oh, and having to head out there in the early hours of the morning on foot!