AstroLandscapes #55 - Dream Shot at the Windmill

[FenlandPaul]

Well, Monday night turned out to be a cracker!

Here on the edge of the Fens we have an abundance of beautiful windmills.  There's one just outside our village and I've used it a few times as a foreground for astro shots.  But until a few months ago, it had been without its sails for a few years while they were being restored. I'd wanted for a while I capture the Autumn Milky Way over the windmill, especially now it was restored to its former glory.

So that was the plan on Monday night; I'd lined up permission from the owner of the adjacent field to take some shots from there as that had the best angle.  The weather was looking good, if a little breezy, with some feisty weather fronts having blown through during the day, leaving the air gloriously clear.

But then it all went nuts.  I was aware there was a good chance of some interesting magnetic activity, and a few hours earlier the earth seemed to be hit by the detritus from a filament eruption.  So I figured there was a reasonable chance of catching some colour in the sky; I'd captured some faint green a few months earlier, and it had whetted my appetite to get a frame full of colour one day.  

A few minutes after I arrived, while it was still twilight, I took some test shots and there were already deep purples and reds on the camera.  Awesome. Clouds were starting to roll in from the south west, threatening my northern horizon, but bright pillars started to dance rapidly just before the cloud concealed things for a while.  Tantalizing glimpses of deep purples and reds could be seen on camera through sporadic gaps - I wonder what I missed!  But, after years of waiting, I managed to get the shot I'd dreamed of - the windmill with bright, colourful aurora in the sky behind. I know it could have been better if the sky had stayed clear for a few minutes longer, but it's important not to get greedy with these things!  I went home a very happy man.  What made it more special is that so many people caught great images that night - I never tire of them.

I'm often asked if I could see these with the naked eye; I know people relatively nearby who definitely could see the pillars, but as I was faffing about with cameras and video equipment my dark adaptation suffered and so unfortunately I didn't.

As ever, I made a Nightscape Journal video to bring you along for the ride - you can see the timelapse in that.

Enjoy, and let me know if you managed to get some shots that night too.

Paul

📷 Canon 6D with Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM lens

🔧 Single 2.5s exposure at f/1.8 and ISO1600

🎞️ Edited in Lightroom and Photoshop

 

 

[mcrowle]

Beautifully captured, Paul! I did make an attempt myself, but it was largely cloudy and apparently the activity had dropped off a cliff by the time I was at my observing spot!

Regards, Mike.

[glafnazur]

Lovely image and I love the timelapse 👍

[AstroNebulee]

Simply stunning Paul. 

That is such a magical image with Aurora and the windmill, I can see why you were dreaming about it. Now I'd buy that! Magnificent. 

I do really enjoy your posts and videos, I can't wait for the next one. 

Clear skies my friend 

[FenlandPaul]

2 hours ago, mcrowle said:

Beautifully captured, Paul! I did make an attempt myself, but it was largely cloudy and apparently the activity had dropped off a cliff by the time I was at my observing spot!

Regards, Mike.

Thanks Mike - yes, the activity levels dropped quite rapidly at around 9.30 unfortunately, and everyone was dodging cloud to some extent!

1 hour ago, glafnazur said:

Lovely image and I love the timelapse 👍

Thanks Dave - I wish the cloud had held off a bit longer for the timelapse - would love to have seen what was going on behind it!

 

56 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

Simply stunning Paul. 

That is such a magical image with Aurora and the windmill, I can see why you were dreaming about it. Now I'd buy that! Magnificent. 

I do really enjoy your posts and videos, I can't wait for the next one. 

Clear skies my friend 

Thanks Lee, as ever.  I think this one might have to be printed and go up on the wall!

[scotty1]

Enjoyed the video 

A bit late , but I got some shots that night near Bury st Eds,  just before the clouds arrived. 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by scotty1

[FenlandPaul]

43 minutes ago, scotty1 said:

Enjoyed the video 

A bit late but I got some shots that night near Bury st Eds  just before the clouds arrived. 

 

 

 

Thank you. Wow, they’re fantastic shots. You guys to the east definitely had the luck of the clear skies! So much colour in those!

[clarkpm4242]

Missed this first time around @FenlandPaul !

Hope for more opportunities!  Nice one.