Shetland Aurora Hunter

I have just started a new facebook group page ' Shetland Aurora Hunter' please send me a request to join. The aim is to provide a place to share experiences and photographs on the Aurora, Milky Way, Stars, Meteorites, Comets etc.

The weather has not really provided many opportunities to get out to see the Aurora with cloud, rain and two Hurricanes. Geomagnetic storm conditions for several days produced good Aurora conditions from just before Christmas but as usual the weather didn't clear up

A week or so ago i gave a talk on the Shetland Night Sky which raised a good number of questions and i hope may provide some inspiration to get out on a clear night to see the stars and aurora. The Night Sky Photography course at Islesburgh in April is now full , details are due to be sent out in the next couple of weeks

At last a clear but very cold night on New Years eve and before the Scottish festivities started we headed out.  The wind was quiet strong and coming head on from the North. A KP5 was predicted but as ever the cloud made its presence felt and soon closed in

Despite getting well wrapped up it was still very cold. The Christmas lights on houses in Bigton produced even more light pollution

 Last night the aurora prediction was good and with an increasing  solar wind speed we set off to Bigton with the stars out

 Just as we arrived the clouds came in the wind picked up and it started sleeting

As we headed back we found the roads over to Sandwick covered in snow and the roads began to freeze, so i am glad we came back earlier as it could have been tricky getting over this hill road. One thing you always have to bear in mind when going Aurora hunting. Other people said later it was not as strong as was forecast

Earlier last night, the Moon and Venus looked superb

More photos at http://www.amazingshetland.co.uk