THE SOUTHERN AURORAE : PART 4

BRIGHT LOW-LATITUDE AURORAE
SEEN NEAR SYDNEY in the
LAST NINETY YEARS

“…it is virtually necessary that observations and studies continue. This is not a phenomenon in which we are spectators and not experimenters. We have to await the pleasure of Nature and maintain a constant vigilance.”

I. L. Thomsen, “Manual for Visual Observations of the Aurora Australis” pg.2

INTRODUCTION

A number of bright aurorae have been observed from the −34° or −43.4° magnetic latitude of Sydney. Some ‘Historical Aurora’ in New South Wales. Some examples that I’m still researching. I have also collect about fifty-odd reports since 1838. Two bright events, apparently occurred four weeks apart in June 1935 , another in 1923 and 1928, and another fainter one in 1911. Several have been seen in recent years, including during 2015.

If you have relevant information on past or present observed aurorae seen from around Sydney please contact me at the email address on the bottom of this page.

Most auroral phenomena these days is never seen in the city skies due to the encroachment of severe light pollution, though at least one recent event was claimed to be seen as close as five kilometres from the Central Business District C.B.D. Aurora in the Sydney area are seen from the outer suburbs, often favouring the southern parts which have no major cities except perhaps for Canberra in the Astralian Capital Territory (ACT.), some two hundred kilometres to the SSW. Those in the Blue Mountains, about eighty kilometres east from the city, also have the advantage of seeing aurorae, though they are likely more prone to being clouded out. Those west of these ranges have a much better change being under very dark skies. Many astute observers have commonly reported seeing faint glows or suspicious auroral activity in the southern skies. Disappointingly many of these observers do not report them — leading to auroral observers in our climes to not having any reasonable idea of auroral frequency. (If you do see one, or even if you suspect you seeing one, I’d be grateful please report this to me, or preferably, send it to the ‘Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ) Aurorae and Solar Section’)

Some of the following examples are of aurora seen in the last ninety years or so. Many I can recount first hand or from reliable observers I personal know and can vouch for. Of all the aurorae in this time, around 1981-82 proved particularly good years, with three major outbreaks. This also corresponds near the observed solar maximum. A very prominent aurorae, likely the brightest in the last century or so from this latitude, was also observed in 1990. Another brighter more southern aurorae was observed from Melbourne on the 26th March, 1990.

ENJOY!

Some Descriptions Around Sydney

In the winter of 1928, there was a great number of articles in the newspapers of bright appearances of the aurora australis in Sydney and throughout New South Wales. These seems a extraordinary year of several strong magnetic storms. The following is a selection of some of the best and most memorable.

09th-10th July 1928

Ivy Moore wrote an interesting article in the entitled “7th July 1928 — Aurora Australis in Sydney!!!! SKY PHENOMENA. The Artilleries of Heaven.” in the Sydney Morning Herald [1] on Saturday 7th July 1934, where she wrote on an earlier aurora seen in Sydney. Her article says the 8th July, 1828, but this actually occurred on the night of the 09th-10th July.

“It was almost exactly six years ago, on July 8, 1928, that the “Sydney Morning Herald” published a most interesting account of the Aurora Australis, which had astonished and delighted Sydney dwellers the preceding night. Commencing at 8 pm., the-sky first of all glowed with a vivid, rosy light, as though illumined by the artilleries of heaven. Strange rays of intense brightness came and went; then a greenish blue luminous cloud appeared, contrasted against the rose-tinted sky. It was so strangely beautiful as to appear almost unearthly, and Mr. F. Gale, of the British Astronomical Association, said that such a phenomenon is very rarely to be seen in Sydney, only ten displays having been noted here during the last forty-six years, although farther south these magnetic storms are frequent, being connected with the activity of sunspots, which have a very large magnetic field of influence.”
Many other very beautiful and curious sky effects can be seen by the keen observer, the student of nature, and, above all, by the early riser. Only a fortnight ago a most remarkable cloud formation was visible over Sydney Harbour at dawn. The basin of Middle Harbour was filled with dense white vapour, which flowed silently, but swiftly, like an opaque river of cloud, through the Spit channel, past Balmoral and Manly, across to North Head, winding its way out to the open ocean. The dark peaks of the hills were silhouetted above this ghostly aerial river, and behind them showed the delicate, rosy flush of dawn. A few stars still glimmered palely, as yet uneclipsed by the coming of the sun, and on the slopes of Quarantine was flung, as though by fairy fingers, a dainty bridal veil of frost. The eerie effect of this pageant was unforgettable, enacted as it was to a sleeping and heedless world.

The Murrumbidgee Irrigator pg.5, which is based at Leeton, in southern New South Wales [2] is reported;

“On Sunday night up to 9 o’clock the southern sky was brilliantly lit up by the unusual phenomenon of the Aurora Australis, which, like the Aurora Borealis of the northern hemisphere, is a luminous meteoric phenomenon of electrical character. The tremulous rays of lights upset local wireless receiving sets, especially between 8 and 9, when the display of dancing light’s was at its best.”

In the ”Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate” [3] appeared an article on Friday 13th July 1928, though this aurora was viewed on the 9th.

“On Sunday night last, about 11 o’clock, people all over the town were startled by the apparent failure of the electric lighting service, and the sounding of the “buzzer” at. the power House. People rushed from their dwellings expecting to find a big fire raging in some part of the town. Upon searching the sky for a reflection of the fire, they were rewarded by seeing in the southern sky a most, beautiful phenomena — one of the most glorious heavenly constellations ever seen in the west. Residents who saw the Aurora Australis were well rewarded by the sight.”

Within the Sydney based paper Another in “The World’s News” on 25th September 1929, appeared an article entitled “Explaining Aurora”

“A NEW explanation for the aurora borealis, which lights up the heavens of the Far North with a brilliant display of celestial fireworks, has been offered by two scientists of the United States Naval Research Laboratory of Washington.
It is suggested that at great heights the atoms of air and other gases rising from the heated Tropics become electrified through the action of the ultra-violet rays of the sun. They are then attracted toward the magnetic poles of the earth, just as iron filings are attracted by the poles of an ordinary magnet. Rushing through the air at more than 5000 miles an hour, they leave the earth at the Tropics and descend again at the Poles, giving rise to the aurora borealis in the north and the aurora australis in the south.”

18th October 1928

In the Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday 24 October 1928 pg.17 [4]

“AURORA AUSTRALIS. Referring to a report that the Aurora Australis was plainly seen at Kiama on Thursday last, “K.M.O.,” in a letter to the Editor, states that the display was visible at Lismore. At 9 p.m. the southern sky was a delicate rose colour, which gradually intensified, and after some minutes slowly faded.”

02nd March 1947

A bright aurora was observed in Sydney. It just happened to have occurred while three CSIRO astronomers were testing equipment and recorded radio signals, that had also been setting up for the 5th Cricket Test between Australia and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (S.G.C.) This was a much discussed topic prior to the beginning of the third day. The aurora was bright enough to be seen by a newspaper reporter, who saw its light from the centre of Sydney. He apparently was so enthused, that he when into the Botanical Garden (to the east of the city) so he could get a better view!

12th May 1949

A bright pink aurora was seen in Adelaide from about 10 pm. to 10.30pm., which appeared to move from the south to the southwest over this period before slowly fading. This was described in the Adelaide ‘The Advertiser’ ^[1] on Friday 13th May 1949. Its was reported by G.F. Dodwell, the South Australian Government Astronomer, who said it was “a particularly good display, though not an exceptional one.” This was seen under bright moonlight, and likely significantly interfered with the aurora’s appearance.

19th March 1950

A bright Aurora was seen in Sydney, and south of it, on the night of 19th between 8.30pm and 10 pm. It was described as a red glow along the southern horizon. A report appeared in the on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald “Aurora Australis Seen Last Night”, pg.1 ^[2] on Monday 20th.

14th March 1981

This was a very prominent aurorae, which reached a maximum elevation of about 30° above the southern horizon. The aurorae was distinctly reddish, and began immediately the sky had become dark. It appeared in three distinct waves in a period of about 3½ hours, with the second increase the brightest. The aurorae was seen as a curtain, some 20° to 25° above the horizon, being about 30° in height. The curtain was defined by brighter red or white rays, that moved by oscillating closer and then further apart in a period of several minutes. Through the display, stars could easily be seen, extinguishing perhaps two to three magnitudes during maximum intensity. Some of the stars took a reddish tinge through the aurora. Not many mentioned any observations from the inner city, though some south of the city reported that the though they saw a ‘fire’ to the south of their location.

Some, like the Sunday Telegraph under ‘Lights Over Sydney’ on the 15th, reported that some people thought there was a U.F.O. invasion, though the paper certainly overstated the facts for the sake of journalist sensationalism. The paper reported that the explanation for the phenomena was either “…the lights of the Sydney Cricket Ground reflected off the clouds” (Note: It was perfectly clear!) or the correct explanation, “…electronic effects of the Aurora Australis in the very upper atmosphere.” Apparently, the Weather Bureau and the local Police Stations in Katoomba, Penrith and Lithgow were inundated with phone calls, reporting “balls of red fire”. in the sky The local constable in Penrith, Uri Adamson, reported seeing a “fireball” that was “…travelling at tremendous speed”. It is unsure if he did see a fireball or the actual aurora.

1st May 1982

This aurora was observed to start at about 8.40pm on the first night in May. The initial appearance was reported to be red-orange, though most described it as reddish in colour. Most unusual were a series of streamers, that were pulsating in intensity in a period of about 30 seconds. The aurora intensified in the next 20 minutes, reach a maximum height of about 65° above the southern horizon. Later the streamers intensified, emanating from below the horizon, with some reporting streamers like ‘searchlights’. Some saw some ‘fanning’ of the streamers, radiating away from a small point close to south. The aurora was last noted at about 11.15pm, though most observers did not see the entire event, due to cloud cover over the eastern seaboard. The aurora was particularly prominent from Melbourne, who had cloudless skies.

6th September 1982

This was a reddish glow (typical colour for aurorae at ‘high’ magnetic latitudes) seen in the direction of the south and south- west. Starting at about 7 pm., the aurora burst to cover the entire sky to the south, reaching almost to the zenith. The far south was noticeable bright red, fading till it was hardly distinguishable near zenith. 10 minutes later, several parts of the aurorae, at an altitude of about 40°, were several pulsating parts changing to a lighter red colour. A number of rays were also noted, emanated almost exactly due south. Over a period of three hours, the entire aurorae pulsated in to three main displays, finishing around 10.15pm, before disappearing. This aurorae was reported too by John Glossop in the ASNSWI “Universe” in November, 1982. No serious reports were made in the local papers, except for a small section in the Sydney Morning Herald the following morning.

25th-26th September 1990

When the Aurora Australis was observed on this date it was one of the most spectacular in recent memory. In the course of three hours in flared brightly in three separate phases. For observers from the latitude of Sydney (-34°S) such auroral events are very rare, happening perhaps once or twice per decade or so. In this case my friend and me happened to be at the right place at the right time. Even more fortunate was that Nick was a good photographer, and he produced the images you can see throughout this page. Exposures here were around forty seconds, which is just long enough not to saturate the film with light and short enough so that the star trails from the Earth’s rotation are minimal. Our knowledge on this night was certainly enhanced by my trip to the RASNZ Conference in New Zealand about seven weeks prior to his date. In New Zealand’s South Island the southern aurorae is far more frequent, and one of the papers presented was on the aurorae and taking how to take photographs of the phenomenae. Fortunately I had listened carefully to the talk — so my knowledge on this night was both fresh and clear in my mind. Soon enough I was spouting facts like an expert — even though I had only experienced an aurora only eight years earlier.

The ‘unexpected’ aurora was first noticed only as an odd bright yellow-white glow near the horizon at around 8.00pm. By that time I and my friend Nick were having a coffee break after our first two hour round of general deep-sky observing. Our vantage point was from our usually selected and isolated dark deep-sky observation site near Mt Banks in midst of the Blue Mountains about eight-five kilometres west of the CBD of Sydney, at least, as the crow flies.

It was first thought to be a just an unusual glow from the Katoomba area by me. I made several comments that continued over about twenty minutes. In a minute or two, and much to our surprise, a spectacular auroral display erupted over almost the entire southern sky, which at times very nearly reached as high as the zenith.

To the south the red colour had intensified, and the aurora now appeared as a general glow. Towards the direct south and 40° either side in azimuth of the southern horizon, to a height of perhaps 5°-10°, a dirty yellow colour was seen near the horizon. Above this arc was a distinct blue colour that extended another 10°-15°. The Southern Cross, appearing as a dropping kite, was within this area, with perhaps roughly 1 to 1.5 magnitude extinction. (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1. The First Auroral Brightening
This reddish aurora initial seen closely towards the southern
horizon suddenly brighten to reveal a rich tapestry of colour.
The SOuthern Cross and Pointers appear sagging across the
centre of the frame — crossed below it by some cloud.
Colours are the mixture of green and red, producing the
brownish or dirty-yellow colouration. The bluish to bluish
colour was likely due to the bright crescent Moon to the west
(right of frame).

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~ 8:15pm : Lens : 17mm f/1.4
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

There was slight lull in the aurora for about twenty-odd, minutes. This went with a slow but perceived diminishing variation in colour to the reach the usual reddish hue.

Initially the colour was a deep rich red that continued to brighten over about twenty minutes. To the south and south east showed the greatest intensity of the red glow, with several parallel rays, down to the horizon. The glow cast a dull reddish colour on the ground that surrounded us. This continued until about 9.00 pm, until it started to fade slightly.

By 9.30pm the auroral activity flared again, this time towards the west to south-west were the crescent Moon was beginning to set. First a bright series of white rays of light was seen down to the horizon, seemingly piercing out of the ground towards the heavens. (Fig.2.) The rays were seen to be inclined at an angle of about 70° from the horizon towards the north. They also pierce the entire constellation of Scorpius and Sagittarius, that could be just seen through the auroral light - dimming the light of the Milky Way somewhat. (Fig. 3.)

Fig. 2. Auroral Display Looking South-Westward
Bright rays cover the Tail of Scorpius in towards the south
and southwestern horizon. The rays displayed constant
movement, which last over some 20 minutes. A one-third
bright crescent moon was setting towards the horizon.
Taken : 25.08.1990 ~ 09:25pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

The rays were in slow motion, and several dozen of them pulsated over a few seconds for a period of two or three minutes. (See Fig 3.) The brightest even one intersected the Moon, that continued until it had set, with the ray phenomena fading from view, some ten minutes later, at 10.10pm.

Fig. 3. Auroral Display Looking South-Westward Diminishes
Bright rays cover the Tail of Scorpius in towards the
south and southwestern horizon. The image of the stars
has been sharpened, with the ray&8217;s colour having
deepened somewhat. The one-third bright crescent moon
clearly closer to setting

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~ c.09:40pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

Above this position, up to about 10° of the zenith, the colour turned into an intense red, and by 10.10pm to 10.20pm had increased enough to cause the ground top again appear as a dull red colour. (Fig. 4.)

Fig. 4. The Auroral Display Turns Red
This clearly shows the extent of the aurora across the
southern horizon. The Cross and Pointers appear to right
of the frame. Canopus appears centre-left above Mt. Banks.

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~ 10:20pm : Lens : 17mm f/1.4
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

Within a few minutes (10.20pm) the red glow had begun to appear as three separate colours that grew in intensity. Even some faint rays could now be seen almost emerging from the horizon. These whitish or bright red rays were tilted at an angle of 5° from the perpendicular, each extending to a height of about 50° above the horizon.

Fig. 5. A Magnificent Auroral Display
This is a fantastic Image showing the Cross and Pointers
revealing the latitude the aurora appeared. The sheer
number of red near vertical rays is here quite extraordinary.

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~10:25pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

The intensity of the rays changed slightly as so did the colours. Same overall movement was perceived to oscillate in an east-west direction, and the aurora moved in an easterly direction.

Fig. 6. Aurora Brightening (From the Previous Frame)

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~10:25pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : ~25 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

By 10.30pm, the aurora contracted towards the south and west, leaving a faintly glowing red colour in the sky, that was without much form or structure.

Fig. 7. The Intense Outburst Fading in Brightness

Taken : 25.08.1990 10:30pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : 20 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

The aurora flared for the third and final time at around 11.00pm, though not as intense as the first two bursts. Its height extended about 40° and appeared as red glow, that brightened and became a slightly lighter red. The direction of the faint rays were now opposite slant than in the second major outburst. This last final hooray was shorter that only lasted for about twenty minutes.

Fig. 8. The Southern Aurora’s Last Hooray

Taken : 25.08.1990 ~11:00pm : Lens : 50mm f/1.7
Film : Ektachrome 200 Exposure : ~25 sec.
Image courtesy Nick Loveday © (2005)

Soon the sky returned to the its usual darkness. I suspected, using adverted vision and comparing the northern sky to the south, that a very faint red glow persisted until about 12.30am. By that time we had begun to packed up and headed for home.

This aurora was reported on radio and the newspapers the next day. The fire brigade and the weather bureau reported a inundation of phone calls. Areas away from the city sky glow had the best view and the reports, especially south and south-east of the city produced the most of the phone calls. Most thought the phenomena was a very large bushfire to the south of the Sydney. The radio stations reported the phenomena. (I actually had an interview on radio with 2UE at 3.50am.) The aurora descriptions from other observers indicated the observations were widespread. Reports came from a far south as Tasmania, Melbourne, most of Eastern Victoria and a far north as Coffs Harbour.

8th September 2002

On an early late-winter Sunday morning, an aurora was seen in the southern half of New South Wales. The activity was seen over twenty minutes or so before fading from view. The aurora australis was a typical bright red colour. One report of observations was posted to the A.S.N.S.W. Yahoo! Group, which was made by five members of that Society from the property known as Wiruna, 200-odd kilometres northwest of Sydney.

According to ASNSWI’s member Chris Ross, the aurora was seen as;

“It was quite bright red in colour and extended from the southern horizon to just below the SMC and LMC.”

This was the third bright Aurora that was seen during the maximum of the current solar cycle, and considering the sun’s activity around this time it was not surprising.

Mick (Mic) McCullough in the ASNSW’s Yahoo! Group site;

’When we got to the northern side of the observing field the aurora was very bright in the southern sky. It spanned about 20-25°deg. across the southern horizon and about the same distance above the tree line, which was about 10° high, from where we were standing. The aurora seemed to be made up of about 10 equal sized columns stretching from the horizon up towards the Magellanic Clouds. This gave it an appearance similar to vertical blinds.The colour was mostly a muddy red with traces of blue and green in the columns at either end. A slow rippling could be seen moving through this red curtain. After about 15 minutes it gradually contracted towards the horizon changing colour to a very pale blue-green and spreading to about 30-35° along the southern horizon and then disappeared completely… This one was certainly…impressive, seen from the still dark skies of Wiruna, with the Magellanic clouds sitting above it.
If anyone managed to photograph the aurora I hope they will post the images or a link to a website so that the people who went to bed early get to see what they missed.”

23rd October 2003

Another bright aurora was observed on the 23rd October from Sydney and southern towns of Wollongong and the southeast of New South Wales. This event was close to the southern horizon and displayed the usual red aurora with ray structure and a green mass of light below it stretching about 5 or 10 to the horizon. The flare-up start around 9.30pm, which continued until about midnight.

17th-18th March 2015

This was an unexpectedly bright aurora, that was visible in much of the southern part of Australia. Observations were recorded in Goulburn and along the south coast at Kiama, 100 km. south of Sydney. I attempted naked-eye observations for most of the night, and thought I saw a faint reddish glow 10 to 20° above the southern horizon, but against the background urban skies, this was far from certain. Several times throughout the night, cloud cover intervened.

I came aware of possible auroral activity by accident, when a notice appeared in the NZ Amateur Astronomers Yahoo! blog site. Immediately, I went to the United States of America Space Weather Prediction Center of ^[3] NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) always very useful Ovation ^[4] (Aurora South) to look at the current forecast model of the auroral oval. Here you can see the changes in expected activity, which are updated every five minutes. (Historical images for the past day can be found here. ^[4])

On the two successive nights, 18th-19th and 19th-20th, aurorae were seen farther south of Sydney, though these were not nearly as spectacular. The appearance was brightest around 10pm, and were seen further westwards as the night progressed. After seeing the brightening on Ovation, I decided to head up to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, some eighty kilometers west of Sydney. Although the night was clear and transparent on the night of 18th-19th, my arrival at 11:30pm was too late to see the event at maximum, and I perceived only a possible faint but fading red glow on the horizon. By 12:30 pm, there was no sign of any activity until an hour before dawn, when I decided to go home. Again on the night of 19th-20th, the auroral over flared up, but this time the forecast was for heavy cloud, so no observation could be made from Sydney. This was even less intense than the previous two nights, leaving doubts that it could be seen from higher geomagnetic latitudes.

These events proved popular in the press and in amateur circles, though much of the coverage was mainly of the aurora borealis from places in the northern hemisphere. As usual, these events by the media were dreadful, riddled with errors, wrong facts or quite misleading information. (The sams can be said for the total solar eclipse in northern Europe and the North Atlantic Ocean that occurred at the 17th.)

23rd-24th June 2015

Last Update : 11th April 2015