11/09/2024
About a month ago, the Internet came alive with Aurora predictions that gained significant worldwide attention. The coronal mass ejection that occurred 2-3 days prior to October 10, 2024 headed towards our Earth, and we were put on notice of a potential severe geomagnetic storm (G4 on a scale of G1-G5).
As a photographer and stargazing enthusiast on the US Gulf Coast, there were two choices:
1.) Drop everything, make travel plans northbound, and position myself in the highest probability area for Aurora viewing OR
2.) Find the darkest place within a reasonable distance from my house, and hope that the storm produces similar auroras to that of May’s display which was seen from the coast.
All things considered, and with atmospheric/cloud/weather conditions varying EVERYWHERE, I opted for the latter. I set out with camping gear and camera to a destination 3 hours away in rural Pine Apple, AL which boasts Bortle 2 night sky, easily the darkest possible night sky in the entire state.
The night unfolded into a memorable, exciting nature session, as I did my best to both enjoy the experience and capture the Aurora from this remote field in Pine Apple, AL. I also witnessed and captured a separate phenomenon known as a SARs (Stable Auroral Red) Arc. This is a peculiar name, as they are neither stable nor Auroras 🤣 Anyway, you can see this arc/band of reddish or pinkish light in some of my images above the pillars of Aurora emanating from the tree line.
I usually exercise brevity, but this is one of the longest captions I’ve ever offered with a social media post. I feel it’s completely warranted, as this night will resonate with me for years to come!
