Aurora and Milky Way over Pouakai Tarns
Aurora and Milky Way over Pouakai Tarns
Taken: 11 May 2024 at 6:47pm (G5 storm)
Location: Taranaki, New Zealand
Story: With a very strong aurora forecast and relatively good weather forecast for Taranaki the decision was made to head up to Pouakai Tarns to try to capture the aurora from there. It was a bit of risky move because it's a 2 1/2 to 3 hour hike up to the Tarns and if it ended up being cloudy up the mountain it would be difficult to relocate to a different location with better weather. When we first arrived, the mountain was almost totally clouded over and it was very cold and very windy, but we set up anyway in the hopes that it would clear up and there would be aurora. Proper darkness wasn't starting until around 7pm, but by 6:15pm we were in action, and we could already see auroral colour to the naked eye. By around 6:30pm we could see massive auroral beams with our eyes. The aurora was so strong and big that it stretched from East to West and beyond overhead. This was the first time for me to see naked eye visible aurora, and it was right here in Taranaki. It was an incredible experience that I'll never forget and definitely worth the effort of lugging 22kg's of gear up for.
Visible in this shot: Corona (top), auroral green band (naked eye visible as a strong white line arching across the sky), auroral beams (the beams to the right of the mountain were easily visible with the naked eye), Milky Way, Southern Cross, Small Magellanic Cloud, Carina Nebula.
EXIF: 13 shot pano mosaic at 10 sec, ISO800, f1.4, 28mm
Camera: Canon R (astromodified)
Lens: Sigma Art 28mm f1.4
Printed on high quality premium photographic paper, canvas (ready to hang),
or metal (aluminium Chromaluxe, ready to hang). Framed prints include a mat border.
Prices in NZ Dollars. Foreign currencies calculated automatically at current rates after processing. Shipping if required is calculated at checkout.
Aurora and Milky Way over Pouakai Tarns
Taken: 11 May 2024 at 6:47pm (G5 storm)
Location: Taranaki, New Zealand
Story: With a very strong aurora forecast and relatively good weather forecast for Taranaki the decision was made to head up to Pouakai Tarns to try to capture the aurora from there. It was a bit of risky move because it's a 2 1/2 to 3 hour hike up to the Tarns and if it ended up being cloudy up the mountain it would be difficult to relocate to a different location with better weather. When we first arrived, the mountain was almost totally clouded over and it was very cold and very windy, but we set up anyway in the hopes that it would clear up and there would be aurora. Proper darkness wasn't starting until around 7pm, but by 6:15pm we were in action, and we could already see auroral colour to the naked eye. By around 6:30pm we could see massive auroral beams with our eyes. The aurora was so strong and big that it stretched from East to West and beyond overhead. This was the first time for me to see naked eye visible aurora, and it was right here in Taranaki. It was an incredible experience that I'll never forget and definitely worth the effort of lugging 22kg's of gear up for.
Visible in this shot: Corona (top), auroral green band (naked eye visible as a strong white line arching across the sky), auroral beams (the beams to the right of the mountain were easily visible with the naked eye), Milky Way, Southern Cross, Small Magellanic Cloud, Carina Nebula.
EXIF: 13 shot pano mosaic at 10 sec, ISO800, f1.4, 28mm
Camera: Canon R (astromodified)
Lens: Sigma Art 28mm f1.4
Printed on high quality premium photographic paper, canvas (ready to hang),
or metal (aluminium Chromaluxe, ready to hang). Framed prints include a mat border.
Prices in NZ Dollars. Foreign currencies calculated automatically at current rates after processing. Shipping if required is calculated at checkout.
Aurora and Milky Way over Pouakai Tarns
Taken: 11 May 2024 at 6:47pm (G5 storm)
Location: Taranaki, New Zealand
Story: With a very strong aurora forecast and relatively good weather forecast for Taranaki the decision was made to head up to Pouakai Tarns to try to capture the aurora from there. It was a bit of risky move because it's a 2 1/2 to 3 hour hike up to the Tarns and if it ended up being cloudy up the mountain it would be difficult to relocate to a different location with better weather. When we first arrived, the mountain was almost totally clouded over and it was very cold and very windy, but we set up anyway in the hopes that it would clear up and there would be aurora. Proper darkness wasn't starting until around 7pm, but by 6:15pm we were in action, and we could already see auroral colour to the naked eye. By around 6:30pm we could see massive auroral beams with our eyes. The aurora was so strong and big that it stretched from East to West and beyond overhead. This was the first time for me to see naked eye visible aurora, and it was right here in Taranaki. It was an incredible experience that I'll never forget and definitely worth the effort of lugging 22kg's of gear up for.
Visible in this shot: Corona (top), auroral green band (naked eye visible as a strong white line arching across the sky), auroral beams (the beams to the right of the mountain were easily visible with the naked eye), Milky Way, Southern Cross, Small Magellanic Cloud, Carina Nebula.
EXIF: 13 shot pano mosaic at 10 sec, ISO800, f1.4, 28mm
Camera: Canon R (astromodified)
Lens: Sigma Art 28mm f1.4
Printed on high quality premium photographic paper, canvas (ready to hang),
or metal (aluminium Chromaluxe, ready to hang). Framed prints include a mat border.
Prices in NZ Dollars. Foreign currencies calculated automatically at current rates after processing. Shipping if required is calculated at checkout.