The sky over South Bavaria

The consequences of the strongest solar winds since 14 years showed us a

Polar light (Aurora borealis)

30/31.Oct. 2003  22:00 -22:30h / 0:10 - 0:30h MEZ

At night when everyone is sleeping.....


0:10      0:11

Photographed in Germerswang / Fürstenfeldbruck near Munich by Th. Böckel in the  direction NNO. Minolta SRT 101, 50 mm normal objective, Fuji 400 color, time of exposure; 30 sec to 45 sec

Notice. On average, the northern or polar lights can be seen more frequently every 11 years due to the returning sun maximas. But such a big thing like this is seen in the average of 20 - 40 years. Ms Wenzel who lives since 35 years in the village of Germerswang  told me that no observation report also a long time before is existing about such a big celestrial phenomene. May it was the biggest and brightest northern light which could ever be observed over our sky. The KP index noticed 9o.*

With a little luck.....

Still notionless I drove at the 30th of Okt.2003  from Fürstenfeldbruck to my village Germerswang, whereby I discovered a greenish shining near the entire northern horizon (10°). Remembering to the new informations about very violent solar eruptions from the radio broadcasts I realized that this must be a polar light. In a very fast speed I drove to my house to catch my camera equipment. I was lucky because I had an ASA 400 film by my  hand and so this was the main reason that these photos are now existing.

Arriving the hill at 22:15h very hasty I positioned the tripod when just in this moment the celestrial spektacle began. Over the green- blue center a red veil was reaching up to 35° into the sky.  The lightning columns which were bended a little bit to the south changed the colour from orange into white in less than one minute. The shining was such intensive that bright stars disappeared in the background. At 22:35h the lightnings stopped finaly and a dense cloud layer was coming from the west. Therefore I had to finish this delightfull observation. 

0:12  0:14 0:16

This photos are showing the whole size of this lightning phenomene. On the left the edge in nearly eastern direction

By turning the camera more to the north the intensive green bluish center gets more visible. This unique light phenomene took about 20 minutes. But looking at 22:30 once more in northern direction where meanwhile clouds did covered the sky there was a clear intensively red shinning through the thinner spaces.

Photos were taken with a 28 mm f: 2,8 wide angle objektiv, Fuji 400 color, time of exposure 60 sec;  photos Thorsten Boeckel

       0:22  0:24  0:30

The Northern lights after midnight on October 31st from  0:10 - 0:30h could only be partially observed through the heavily cloudy sky.


The 1. polar light around 22.30 MEZ seen from Eichenau which was distanced about 10 km south east.

     

This picture is one of a series out of 500 digital images from Martin Rietze. He was looking forward to show the movement of this polar light. The german television sender ZDF did made a 30 sec.film with this material. The film his was broadcasted just in the same day by the news magazine ZDF heute journal.


Basics about sightings of Aurora Borealis also known as Northern- or polar lights, in middle latitudes

KP index*: Roughly speaking, auroras can already be observed visually from KP 5-6 (G1/2 storm) in northern Germany. At KP 7/8 (G3/4 storm) or above also in southern Germany (Alps to southern Europe). Among other things, the density and speed of the flares or CME's (earth directed solar mass ejection forms) or corona holes are relevant parameters for the strength of the solar storms and visual sightings. But the Bz value which definite the north- south  alignment of the earth magnetic field ( May 2024, Bz -50nT ) is the most important factor. If this Bz value is to weak, the protons can't invade in the earth magnetic field. By the way, the glowing phenomenon is triggered by 'animated' oxygen and nitrogen atoms. Oxygen up to ~100 km shows greenish and from ~100-200 km red to orange colors. Nitrogen atoms up to ~300 km height shows more seldom purple or blue colors.


Further some German links:

Polarlicht-Vorhersage für Deutschland

Polarlicht-Galerie  von Thomas Sävert

astronomie.de


Red Sprites 2107 by Th Boeckel

All Red Sprites & Auroras

Red Sprites 2107 by Th Boeckel


 Etna    Stromboli    Volcano world    Cinema

From Etna to Stromboli     Planets & Space

©2005 photos by T. Boeckel and M.Rietze. Last modification 3.Nov.2003 / 06.09.2024


This private, non-commercial web site do not use cookies !

 IMPRESSUM      PRIVACY     DATENSCHUTZ