Aurora & Gyre
Taken by Todd Salat on April 15, 2023 @
Delta Junction, Alaska
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Camera Used: NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D850
Exposure Time: 6/1
Aperture: f/1.0
ISO: 5000
Date Taken: 2023:04:15 06:44:07
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Details:
This was a first! An illuminating gyre in the sky sails through the aurora and over Donnelly Dome near Delta Junction, Alaska, on April 15, 2023 at 1:54 am AKDT (9:54 UTC). If I understand this correctly, this phenomenon appears to be rocket engine exhaust from a SpaceX Transporter-7 mission that launched on the Falcon 9 about three hours earlier in California. A plume of water vapor in the exhaust from the second stage engine freezes and catches high-altitude sunlight, effectively glowing and creating this spiral galaxy of a display. The payload is 51 satellites and it's on its way to orbit. While still gaining altitude it did this pass-by over Alaska, stunning many night-watchers including myself. At first, I was totally bewildered… and I kind of enjoyed that feeling of the unknown.
Photographer's website:
https://www.aurorahunter.com
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