Aurora! From X1.6 solar flare

Sep13
by kevin on September 13, 2014 at 09:19 and modified on September 13, 2014. at 09:22
Posted In: astronomy
Aurora 20:52edt, 61sec exposure NW

Aurora 20:52edt, 61sec exposure NW

Aurora 61sec exposure NE

Aurora 61sec exposure NE

Aurora 61sec exposure NW and -6.6 Iridium70 flare

Aurora 61sec exposure NW and -6.6 Iridium70 flare

Aurora 61sec exposure North, -10 satellite flare 21:04 edt

Aurora 61sec exposure North, -10 satellite flare 21:04 edt

Aurora 21:52edt, 61sec exposure NW, last shot of evening

Aurora 21:52edt, 61sec exposure NW, last shot of evening

Great night for aurora… started strong but after 1 hour outside in +4C weather, very bight moon rising and cloud starting to come in, we also went inside.

Thanks to Malcolm on facebook for the first notice. We passed that along in email and got a few other people outside. Did not know about Iridium flare, pleasant surprise. Then the mystery flare of Mag -10 around 21:04 far in the north, below Polaris. Cannot positively identify a regular satellite that may have flared so brightly and for at least 5 seconds if not more. Very slow moving.

Back to the aurora… very rare here in southern ontario at 44 deg Latitude. Those in the west are all very much north of the 49th parallel and get to see these on a regular basis.