Gloryoski Aurora despite wildfire smoke
Taken by Bill Burnett on October 7, 2024 @
Hamilton, Montana USA
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Camera Used: SONY ILCE-6000
Exposure Time: 12/1
Aperture: f/1.0
ISO: 2000
Date Taken: 2024:10:08 11:19:13
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Details:
Upon learning from Spaceweather.com that there was a strong geomagnetic storm underway and Auroras were occurring far south of the US & Canadian border, I grabbed my digital camera & tripod and headed for my favorite spot, which has a clear unobstructed view to the north, to hopefully image the Aurora.
I arrived at that location a 9:05pm and began taking images. At first, the Aurora display consisted of an arch of green light that spanned the Bitterroot Valley from the Bitterroot Mountains to the Sapphire Mountains. Due to the presence of wildfire smoke, the green arch of light appeared to be above a dark plume of smoke from an active fire to the north of my location (see first image). This view persisted from 9:05pm until 10:46pm, when something different happened. Prior to this I was about to call it a night, as I thought that all I would see from this Aurora was that green arch.
To my surprise, pillars of green and dim red/violet light began to immerge from the lower plume of wildfire smoke creating an unusual view that I had not seen before (See second image). It appeared that the Aurora was beginning to intensify and so was able to even penetrate the lower plume of wildfire smoke.
But, the best was yet to come! Glad I stuck it out!
10:49pm: Bam! Pow! Zoom! (see third image) A whole array of bright colors began to appear over the Sapphire Mountains and quickly moved to the west. The colors included reds, oranges, yellows, greens and violet.
10:57pm (see image four) The whole northern sky literally burst open with color almost all the way to the Zenith!
This vivid display went on rising and falling in intensity all the way up to just before midnight when the display began to fade.
I captured over 300 images and it would be impossible to show them all to you - They are all different!
Oh what a night! I went home to bed at midnight and could not stop thinking about what I saw.
Photographer's website:
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