Back to finishing my landscaping project,
Starting early, laying down new stones today I was thinking “I have to finish this job today”. The load I had on the trailer proving not enough to finish, so I had to make another trip to the landscaping supplies company to collect the last load of stones. Again, it was an epic effort to get it all in and done by 5pm, just before sunset, but it was indeed done.
While getting ready to meetup with some happy single friends for dinner, I received a message that the Aurora might be visible tonight and boy, it did not disappoint. I manage to drive a little bit out of town to get a quick glimpse of the red glow before dinner, but could not stay long because I had an appointment to keep.
Dinner over, arriving back home at 9:30, I decided to grab my jacket and go for a drive, around the “corner” towards Little River and then up the hill to the hang-gliding launch area. This gave me a little height above sea level and provided unobstructed views towards the south, across Birdlings Flat. It was a “perfect storm” of conditions with all the right combinations: A clear sky evening, with no clouds and no wind. No moon, so the milky way and stars were visible all the way to the horizon. And then the spectacular glow of the Aurora caused be a solar storm of note. I cannot really describe it accurately here, and my phone is way too cheap to take any proper pictures, but I will try to capture my memories.
At first you almost need to get your head around what you are actually seeing and experiencing… It seems light outside, but you can see the milky way and it is way past midnight. I have never witnessed anything like this before. Beams of slow moving light, like rays of sunlight, all terminating into the rainbow like arch across the horizon. Slowly moving about and changing from white/greens to deep reds… in silence. They also have the “slow/sudden” flashing about them at times, like putting on a magic disco light show. It looks majestic and orchestrated by forces much bigger than what the human mind can imagine. I felt humble and insignificant while this “show” was playing with me sitting (what felt like in the front row) on the tailgate of my ute. For more than an hour I watched on in awe, taking mental recordings of something that I though I would never witness. I am sad I don’t have footage to share, but the images will live forever in my head.
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43.5323 – 172.5567
11 May 2024
FP-121
2 responses to “Aurora Australis – An unexpected magic light show.”
Wish I could have seen it!
Sounds Magical!
Little did I know that it was going to be visible on our side also..
Would have taken a drive as well..
Ai tog…
Yep, the whole experience truly got me by surprise, but I am sure there will be another opportunity again.