Aurora 3rd/4th September 2012
A trip to the far north of Scotland can give a view of the Aurora or Northern lights with only a moderate activity level.
On the night of the 3rd/4th September 2012 I got a sighting from a remote cottage near Bonar Bridge
The moon was only a few days over full, so gives some foreground light depending on camera exposure.
By 2233 BST (2133 GMT/UTC) the sky did not seem to be getting as dark as usual, looking more like a June twilight in the NW
The colour was not obvious to the eye, but the camera shows up some green in the northwest. My first aurora sighting !
f2.8, 25 seconds ISO 400, 28mm equivalent lens.
Taken at 2306 BST (2206 GMT/UTC) looking NE with a longer exposure, the foreground has come out like daylight, while the clouds show a lot of movement in the wind.
To the eye this was still just like twilight, but in the wrong place.
f2.8, 60 seconds ISO 400, 28mm equivalent lens.
At 2336 BST (2236 GMT/UTC) there were some rays to be seen in the north, moving around over periods of a minute or so.
No colour to the eye, but tell-tale vertical bars moving about.
f2.8, 30 seconds ISO 400, 28mm equivalent lens.
By 2343 BST (2243 GMT/UTC) looking NE it was clouding over but the aurora brightened as well.
To the eye, just an odd brighter patch that could be mistaken for cloud or light pollution
f2.8, 30 seconds ISO 400, 28mm equivalent lens.
By 2347 BST (2247 GMT/UTC) with an f/2 lens, again the foreground appears like daytime due to moon illumination, with some auroral greens still showing through the cloud.
f2, 30 seconds ISO 400, 70mm equivalent lens.
GBPHOTOS Aurora page 11 September 2012 All images © M.W.Wilson