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Strongest Aurora Borealis in 12 years on Video - Fall 2017

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by DK7PE, Dec 26, 2017.

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  1. DK7PE

    DK7PE Ham Member QRZ Page

    Sept. 6th was the strongest solar activity in 12 years (ref. NASA/NOAA). Two days later the solar storm reached the earth and caused strong Aurora VHF DX and a collapse of the shortwave bands. I was lucky to be in the polar Region during that time, making this 3 mins Video about the Northern Lights.

    Youtube:
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 26, 2017
    DO3SUM, EK3GM, OM8FR and 19 others like this.
  2. W4HM

    W4HM XML Subscriber QRZ Page


    What actually occurred was the formation of the largest sunspot group and strongest solar flare of solar cycle 24, not the strongest aurora. And the HF bands didn't collapse either. The upper HF bands (lowering of the MUF) and lower HF bands (some absorption of signals passing through polar regions) were negatively impacted but nothing epic occurred.

    73 & GUD DX,
    Thomas F. Giella, W4HM
    Lakeland, FL, USA

    http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/spaceweather
    https://www.facebook.com/thomasfranklingiellaw4hm
    https://twitter.com/GiellaW4hm
     
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2017
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  3. LA6VQ

    LA6VQ Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Beautiful, Rudi.
    Norway is not a bad place to combine the hobbies of ham radio and photo/video. When aurora borealis limits ham radio, we can just take our cameras and move outside to enjoy the aurora, like DK7PE has done (of course assuming a clear sky, which may not always be the case). However, even the thrill and beauty of aurora borealis fade after some years, and then hams, particularly in Northern Norway, can take the opportunity to explore the many strange propagations created by aurora.

    For more aurora pictures by ham being aurora fans, a nice collection can be found at www.hb9bza.net, the homepage of Robert HB9BZA, who has also given us the LoTW user list for many years.

    73 and Happy New Year de Frode LA6VQ
     
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  4. K3KO

    K3KO Guest

    Thanks for video. Two things left on bucket list before SK: 1) sEE
     
  5. VA3ECO

    VA3ECO XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Fantastic video, Rudi! What camera/ lens did you use?
    Here's my video (not real time) from the same solar storm in NW Ontario, Canada:

    -Chris VA3ECO
     
    EK3GM, DK7PE and K9PLG like this.
  6. N2MDA

    N2MDA Ham Member QRZ Page

    Beautiful work Rudi:

    Thank You for sharing the video of the Northern Lights to those of us who will never see the lights, as I live in Florida. But, the video and the music were magnificent. 73 BOB N2MDA
     
  7. F1GFK

    F1GFK Ham Member QRZ Page

    Fantastic. Head before always seen photos, but never videos, I was wondering if these stuff were static, slowly or fast moving. Great movies. 73, Jean-Luc F1GFK
     
  8. VA3OSO

    VA3OSO Ham Member QRZ Page

    I got some great timelapse September 8.



    This was taken in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada
     
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  9. DK7PE

    DK7PE Ham Member QRZ Page


    Hi Thomas,
    Thanks for your post and the scientific remarks.
    Actually, I was up there to take some pictures and if possible, even a short video. While the show in the sky was going on, I also tried some Amateur Radio, but the bands were just dead – no Signals at best time (Sep. 8th 2017). Friends in EU later reported that they even checked their coax cable to see if the antenna was still there…
    After several trips to Svalbard, Iceland and Norway this was the strongest Aurora I have ever seen. The beauty and intensity of the Northern Lights was just overwhelming…
    Happy New Year, 73s Rudi, DK7PE (www.rooody.de)
     
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  10. DK7PE

    DK7PE Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hi Frode,

    Thanks for your post! Well, I am fascinated about this phenomenon still after several trips to the North.

    Some people report they were able to hear a sound during strong Aurora. Have you ever heard about this? I myself never heard anything…!

    73s Rudi DK7PE

     
  11. KL7KN

    KL7KN Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yes. If it is very quiet - say in the dead of winter out on the Mississippi Range at Ft Greeley, you can hear a hissing noise.

    Could just be the blood in my face freezing tho....

    Living inside of the 'donut hole' of the aurora makes ham radio...funer. No, make that 'more fun'.
     
  12. LA6VQ

    LA6VQ Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Rudi, I cannot say I have ever heard sounds from aurora, but then I live too far south to experience aurora on a regular basis. Actually there was a programme about aurora sounds on national radio today, so I have definitively heard about it. The suspected sound was described as the sound of cramming plastic foil or paper. I think the conclusion was that the observations of what might possibly be sound linked to aurora, was quite inconclusive, so I guess the preliminary conclusion is that sound from aurora is more of a rumour and a speculation. If I learn otherwise, I'll let you know.

    73 de Frode LA6VQ

     
  13. DK7PE

    DK7PE Ham Member QRZ Page


    There are audio records about SFERICS, TWEEKS and WHISTLERS caused by lightening’s, recorded at the “Schumann-Resonance-frequencies” (Extreme Low Frequencies) at 7,8Hz and harmonics. A very interesting field to learn more about...

    https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/auroras-sounds-noises-explained-earth-space-astronomy/ (Source National Geographics)

    Sample of whistlers: http://spaceweather.com/audio/inspire/7purewhist.mp3 (Source: Spaceweather.com)
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2017
  14. DK7PE

    DK7PE Ham Member QRZ Page

    Hi Chris,
    I used an Sony a7sII and several wide angle objectives in MF mode.
    73s Rudi
     
  15. VA3ECO

    VA3ECO XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I just googled the Sony a7sII, up to ISO 409600 (extended)... Wow!
    My Olympus E520 gets grainy after ISO 800, so I guess it will have to be time lapse for me, for now anyhow.
    Thanks for the info!
    -Chris
     

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