Bluespeck.ca - Aurora Borealis

wide field astrophotography

Northern Lights Over Owen Sound

G3 and G4 magnetic storms fuelled spectacular auroral activity on the night of October 10, 2024. The images in the section were captured just north of Owen Sound along the shores of Georgian Bay.

A G4 magnetic storm fuels a colourful auroral arc stretching across Georgian Bay looking northwest from Owen Sound

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | multi-panel mosaic - 8 seconds each , f2.8, ISO 640 | October 10, 2024

Car headlights inadvertently illuminate mist rising up from the waters of Georgian Bay in this northern lights image.

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | multi-panel mosaic - 8 seconds each , f2.8, ISO 640 | October 10, 2024

The aurora brightens during one of its peaks.

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | multi-panel mosaic - 8 seconds each , f2.8, ISO 640 | October 10, 2024

Looking straight up at the corona overhead.

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 8 second, f2.8, ISO 640 | October 10, 2024

Another display looking straight up at the corona overhead.

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 8 second, f2.8, ISO 640 | October 10, 2024

Northern Lights Over Big Bay

The images shown in this section were captured on May 10, 2024 during a massive G5 geomagnetic storm. Photographed at Big Bay (Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada), they represent a very rare opportunity to see and image such a vibrant auroral display at altitudes this far south.

The faint glow of the first lights as they begin to reveal themselves

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 10 seconds, f2.8, ISO 400 | May 10, 2024

In a statement released on May 16, 2024, NASA said that “ a barrage of large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) launched clouds of charged particles and magnetic fields toward Earth, creating the strongest solar storm to reach Earth in two decades — and possibly one of the strongest displays of auroras on record in the past 500 years." (https://go.nasa.gov/4btc9WD)

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 15 seconds, f2.8, ISO 250 | May 10, 2024

An aurora, also commonly known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of brilliant lights that appear as curtains, rays, spirals, or dynamic flickers covering the entire sky. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora)

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 15 seconds, f2.8, ISO 800 | May 10, 2024

Auroras are the result of disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere caused by the solar wind. Major disturbances result from enhancements in the speed of the solar wind from coronal holes and coronal mass ejections. These disturbances alter the trajectories of charged particles in the magnetospheric plasma. These particles, mainly electrons and protons, precipitate into the upper atmosphere (thermosphere/exosphere). The resulting ionization and excitation of atmospheric constituents emit light of varying colour and complexity. The form of the aurora, occurring within bands around both polar regions, is also dependent on the amount of acceleration imparted to the precipitating particles. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora)

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 8 seconds, f2.8, ISO 250 | May 10, 2024

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 8 seconds, f2.8, ISO 400 | May 10, 2024

The waxing crescent moon in the above image is actually only 11% full, but seems unusually bright because of sunlight light being reflected back off the Earth (earthshine).

Nikon D750 | Sigma Art 24-70 @24mm | 8 seconds, f2.8, ISO 250 | May 10, 2024