December 2008
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Summary: A solar wind stream hit Earth on Dec. 30th, lighting up the Arctic Circle with the last auroras of 2008. See also November 2008.

 
  Photographer, Location Images Comments


Bob Johnson,
Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Dec. 31, 2008
#1, #2, #3, #4

I got a call from Spaceweather Phone last night warning me the Earth was entering a solar wind stream and to be on the lookout for Auroras, because of this instead of going to bed I was able to capture some cool auroras.

Photo details: Canon 40D, ISO 3200, 10 second exposures. 17mm lens


Calvin Hall,
The Knik River Valley near Palmer Alaska.
Dec. 31, 2008
#1, more

A mild, short lived aurora display on a crisp clear night. It was -34F so I didn't stay out long. It was about 10:30 PM local time or 7:30 AM New Years Day Universal time. I had a curious moose headed toward me in the dark and it is amazing how loud and squeeky the snow is at these low temps. HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Lance Parrish,
Skiland, Alaska 20 Miles NE of Fairbanks
Dec. 31, 2008
#1, #2, #3

The nicest display since the end of October. Very short active lights just after 1am local time.

Photo details: Nikon D3, 14-28mm, f2.8 @ 5-18 secs. Iso 1600.


Rob Stammes,
Laukvik, Lofoten, Norway
Dec. 30, 2008
#1, more

"The Northern Lights are coming," declared Rob Stammes of the Polar Light Center in Lofoten, Norway on Dec. 30th. He based his prediction on what was happening in the ground outside his magnetic observatory. "Electrical currents are surging through the Earth. Here is the recording from my ground current instrument." The cause of the surge was a solar wind stream hitting Earth. The impact of the solar wind rattled Earth's magnetic field which, in turn, induced electrical currents in the ground. "This kind of ground current surge often precedes beautiful Northern Lights," says Stammes.

Gilles Boutin,
Kuujjuaq Nunavik Canada
Dec. 30, 2008
#1, #2, #3, #4, more

Les dernières aurores boréales de 2008, de Kuujjuaq au Nunavik, le photographe et chasseur d`aurores boréales Gilles Boutin revient voir les aurores boréales des Inuits du Nunavik et spécialement durant le temps des fêtes 2008, bonne année a tous.


Jostein Johansen,
Tromsø, Norway
Dec. 12, 2008
#1, #2, #3

Strongly moonlit landscape and auroras.

Photo details: Canon EOS 1000D, 18mm, F3.5, 800 ISO, 6 sec


more images:
from Jan Klaver of Nordanås, Sweden; from Claus Vogel of Pangnirtung, Nunavut (Baffin Island, Canada); from Gilles Boutin of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, Canada;