Aurorae likely tonight!!

[tooth_dr]

Timelapse using 35mm lens on D800E from the front garden looking almost vertical towards the south.

 

[Gfamily]

I'd posted to our club Facebook group and to the family WhatsApp "look to the north", so when we went out we spent the first 10 minutes looking north and feeling rather underwhelmed.

Then I accidentally turned around and looked up.

Definitely overwhelmed.

[Alan White]

This is all over FB and the news and all social media, I expect that a very high number of folks experienced this marvel.
For those of us in astro clubs, we may see inquisitive new members look us up after this, which is all good.

I see the press etc are predicting the same for tonight, clearly they have better crystal balls than the rest of us.
And more importantly how can we have a clash with the event of the Year on the same night,
I talk of the Eurovision Song Contest of course.

[tomato]

I confess I totally missed Friday night's display.

 I am hoping to catch at least the tail end tonight, any suggestions for capture settings on the All Sky camera for this phenomenon? The camera is an ASI 120c, I was going for a 2.5 sec exposure every 30 secs for 2-3 hrs? 

[Elp]

Even 1s or less was enough last night around the 11-12 peak

Edited May 11 by Elp

[iwols]

Well had 2 hours sleep before my 12 hour shift today and it was worth every second 

 

[Budgie1]

42 minutes ago, tomato said:

I confess I totally missed Friday night's display.

 I am hoping to catch at least the tail end tonight, any suggestions for capture settings on the All Sky camera for this phenomenon? The camera is an ASI 120c, I was going for a 2.5 sec exposure every 30 secs for 2-3 hrs? 

If you really want to catch the best of it then go with 1.0 to 2.0s exposures every 10 seconds. Every 30s will mean you miss too much as it's changing all the time, it can move quite fast and also has periods of strong & weaker light.

[iwols]

1 hour ago, tooth_dr said:

Timelapse using 35mm lens on D800E from the front garden looking almost vertical towards the south.

 

What settings did you use please for a cracking video 👍

[ONIKKINEN]

4 hours ago, 900SL said:

How did I miss this???

Tonight is looking decent too. Some cloud possibly but a good chance of spotting these. For comparison these were on par, or maybe stronger than those amazing lights we saw that one winter night. And thats from bortle 8 - truly bonkers.

[mcrowle]

What an amazing night! Such beautiful pictures on this thread, and it’s great that so many got to enjoy the display!

I watched on and off and between around 10:30pm to 3:00am, from 3 different local spots. I’ve barely started sorting through the hundreds of images yet, but here’s a couple, taken with an EOS 5D MkIII and Samyang 14mm at f/4. Sorry, I think I overdid the colour saturation 😄.

Regards, Mike

[900SL]

5 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

Tonight is looking decent too. Some cloud possibly but a good chance of spotting these. For comparison these were on par, or maybe stronger than those amazing lights we saw that one winter night. And thats from bortle 8 - truly bonkers.

I'm ready, Nikon and 20mm f1.8, I missed it last time, I was driving back after packing up early.. Fingers crossed, sky very clear here in Veikkola apart from some high cirrus, should be clear after midnight

[900SL]

Oh wow, this is current situation, never seen this:

 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Good luck everyone, especially those who weren't able to get out last night.

[ONIKKINEN]

10 minutes ago, 900SL said:

Oh wow, this is current situation, never seen this:

 

Im heading to the usual imaging spot to try and see them. Think i'll climb the bird watching tower, should be a pretty good view if skies are clear.

[900SL]

36 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

Im heading to the usual imaging spot to try and see them. Think i'll climb the bird watching tower, should be a pretty good view if skies are clear.

I'd join you there but I've had a few beers, so no driving. Clear skies!

[HnrKS]

Some weak lights visible from Lithuania.

[ONIKKINEN]

Some weak purple and green in Finland as well. Hoping to see a surge in activity but we shall see.

[900SL]

Nothing here in Veikkola so far. 

[Elp]

Is aurorawatch down?

[WolfieGlos]

2 minutes ago, Elp said:

Is aurorawatch down?

I think we’ve all crashed it.

I’m getting notifications but the map isn’t working, and the bar chart updates but it takes a long time. Currently on 614nT updated at 10:30 for me.

Edited May 11 by WolfieGlos
Spelling

[Elp]

Space weather live seems to be working, has a lot more data

[westmarch]

I think it is going to be academic here in Galloway, 80% cloud. 😪

[DaveL59]

Yeah thin high cloud here over a lot other than directly above and towards the east. Such is life...

[WolfieGlos]

Pretty much nothing but cloud here tonight . Met office cloud forecast thinks it might clear around midnight.

bbc forecast shows clear skies all night 🤷‍♂️  Hopefully it clears, but then after last nights spectacle, I could do with some sleep… 

[whooshbang]

Quite clear in NW London. Cant see Aurora though.